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BUDGET 2024 The Changes To Inheritance tax

The budget 2024, our new Government has decided in it's first budget to raise further income for the Treasury by increasing Inheritance Tax. Whilst the rates have not increased the existing allowances (ie nil rate bands), have been extended for a further fixed period...

A Right of Residence

A Right of Residence is something you can include in your Will If you own a house and want to make sure that someone can continue living there after your death one of your options is to create a Right of Residence for them. This will make sure that the person keeps...

It pays to be civil

Mixed sex couples can enter a Civil Partnership and enjoy most of the Tax benefits of being married. This is a legal relationship which provides some real financial benefit to those who wish to live together without getting married. The set up costs are nominal...

£72000 = £150786

Calculations by the Labour Party indicate that despite the proposed system of capping care fees for the elderly the figure of £72000 is more likely to finish up at £150786. This is largely because the 'hotel and accommodation' costs of residents in care will not count...

Triple Taxation

Tess Daly, the host of 'Strictly Come Dancing' has attacked Britain's disgraceful and insulting inheritance tax laws. In a recent magazine article she states that in effect Inheritance Tax is triple taxation. Tax is paid on earnings, Stamp duty is paid on Property...

Living in Sin

The number of elderly people 'living in sin' has doubled in a decade according to the Office of National Statistics. In their 80's and 90's these older people  now believe the social stigma which previous generations associated with living together and not being...

U-Turn on proposed Care Fees Policy

During its hearing on the new deferred Care Fees policy it emerged in the House of Lords yesterday that all is not as it originally appeared . Instead of a 'universal' scheme it now appears that Local Councils will decide whether pensioners with assets exceeding...

No Inheritance for 3 out of 4 families

NFU Mutual Insurance group has just reported the results of a study into the high cost of Care Home fees. It indicates that over the last five years a million homes have had to be sold to pay care fees. Over two million elderly people have had to use their savings to...

Winner takes all

It is interesting to read the newspaper reports of the Will of the late Michael Winner. Despite his flamboyant boasts about his personal wealth his net estate does not appear sufficient to meet in full all the various legacies he bequeathed to his wife and previous...

Plundered Wills

Highlighted in the news today are a  number of cases where political parties have taken advantage of loosely worded Wills.  Bequests to' Government of the day' have been taken to mean Political Parties in Government today. One wonders about the Executors of the Will...