Planning Ahead After a Dementia Diagnosis: Wills, LPAs and Protecting Your Wishes
A dementia diagnosis does not automatically remove your right to make decisions. Mental capacity is assessed for the particular decision at the time it must be made, and it can fluctuate. Alzheimer’s Society estimates that around 1 million people are living with dementia in the UK. Planning early can give you more opportunity to record […]
Inheritance Tax Changed in April: Should You Review Your Will?
The inheritance tax treatment of qualifying agricultural and business property changed on 6 April 2026. If your estate includes a farm, trading business, shares or land, it is sensible to check whether your will and estate plan still produce the result you intend. The nil-rate band remains £325,000, while the residence nil-rate band remains £175,000 […]
Making a Will With Early Dementia Concerns: How to Plan Before Capacity Becomes Disputed
One of the most difficult situations a family can face is realising that a loved one has been diagnosed with dementia, or is showing early signs of cognitive decline, and has not yet made a will. In other cases, an older will exists, but family circumstances have changed and everyone is unsure whether it can […]
Life Interest Trusts in Wills: When They May Help Blended Families or Vulnerable Beneficiaries
When most people make a will, they think about leaving assets directly to the people they love. For many families, that works perfectly well. But in blended families, or where a beneficiary is vulnerable, a direct gift can create problems that only become clear years later. A life interest trust, also known as an interest […]
Mirror Wills for Spouses: When They Work Well and When Separate Wills Are Safer
If you are married or in a civil partnership and you are thinking about making a will, there is a good chance someone has mentioned mirror wills. They are popular, relatively straightforward to set up, and on the surface they can seem like the obvious solution for couples who want to leave everything to each […]