Estate Administration
Facilitating Will writing and signing during the Covid-19 lockdown
17th April 2020
By Lenore Rice The Coronavirus crisis has focussed our minds on the people and things that are important in our life, and the safeguards that we have to ensure that they... Read more
Sharp rise in calls to Domestic abuse helpline during Coronavirus lockdown
7th April 2020
By Lenore Rice There has been a 25 per cent increase in the number of calls and online requests made to the National Domestic Abuse helpline according to the charity Refuge. There... Read more
Will writing Services during the Coronavirus crisis
3rd April 2020
We understand that now more than ever we are all reflecting on our families and the things that are most important to us. The current situation has given us all... Read more
Wilson Nesbitt taking part in Make a Will Month charity campaign
2nd March 2020
We are delighted to participate in the Northern Ireland Hospice's 'Make a Will' campaign again this year. Anyone wishing to take part in the campaign can contact one of our will... Read more
Writing a Will - Good intentions and resolutions for 2020
8th January 2020
By Lenore Rice The first few weeks of January are the golden period of good intentions and resolutions to make improvements across a number of areas in our lives. Gym membership... Read more
Write a Will in November and our fee goes to charity
23rd October 2019
Wilson Nesbitt is once again taking part in the Will Aid scheme in November, where you can write a Will and make a donation to charity instead of paying our... Read more
Farming Estate Planning - replacing promises with written agreements
17th October 2019
By Lenore Rice Approximately 70 per cent of adults in Northern Ireland do not have a Will, with many trusting that the rules of intestacy will result in their assets eventually... Read more
Chancellor hints at Inheritance tax reform
3rd October 2019
By Lenore Rice Chancellor Sajid Javid has sparked speculation that inheritance tax could be scrapped or otherwise reformed by saying there was "a real issue" around inheritance tax and that it... Read more
Safeguarding your Will against challenge
22nd July 2019
By Lenore Rice According to a recent survey conducted by a prominent life insurance company, 24% of residents in the UK would be prepared to contest the Will of a loved... Read more
High Court rules to allow trust to treat illegitimate child as beneficiary
8th July 2019
By Lenore Rice The trustees of a discretionary settlement worth £80m have received permission from the High Court to treat one of the settlor’s descendants as a beneficiary, despite being born... Read more
Wills Legal Guide - Part 4
5th July 2019
By Lenore Rice At Wilson Nesbitt we wholly understand that writing a Will is a difficult thing to even think about, as we are very aware that nobody really wants to... Read more
Inheritance dispute relies on Court to decide order elderly couple passed away
5th July 2019
By Lenore Rice The estate of an elderly couple who were both discovered having passed away in their homes is being disputed by their stepdaughters. The dispute, currently being heard in... Read more
Wills Legal Guide - Part 3
4th July 2019
By Lenore Rice In the second part of our Wills Legal Guide, we looked at the initial steps involved in writing a Will, such as listing your beneficiaries and estimating the... Read more
Advice on Contesting a Will
4th July 2019
By Lenore Rice How to contest a Will We are largely able to pass on our estate in a Will as we please, but there are circumstances where certain people will have... Read more
Wills Legal Guide - Part 2
3rd July 2019
By Lenore Rice In the first section of our Wills Legal Guide, we explored the various reasons for writing a Will, including what happens to your assets and to your beneficiaries... Read more
The Myth of Cohabitation and How it Affects Wills
3rd July 2019
By Lenore Rice One of the reasons that people so often put off writing a Will is that they assume that their assets will pass to their ‘common law’ partner. This... Read more
Wills Legal Guide - Part 1
2nd July 2019
By Lenore Rice Why make a Will? Writing a Will can give peace of mind to you and those closest to you if the unthinkable should happen. While no one wants to... Read more
How a Will protects your beneficiaries
2nd July 2019
By Lenore Rice Why write a Will? Sometimes one of the reasons that people don’t have a formal Will is that they believe that the matter of inheritance will simply work itself... Read more
Aretha Franklin's estate administration complicated by 3 Wills
21st May 2019
By Lenore Rice When the "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin sadly passed away in August 2018 it was believed that she had died intestate, with no Will having been located despite... Read more
Survey reveals unrealistic inheritance expectations of millennials
10th May 2019
By Lenore Rice A new survey has revealed that some millennials expect a much higher inheritance than they will actually receive, and that they will have to wait longer for it... Read more
Survey reveals lack of awareness of inheritance rules
16th April 2019
By Lenore Rice Results of a new survey by Quilter suggests that 63 per cent of people in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are not aware of some... Read more
Make a Will in March and our fee goes to NI Hospice
7th March 2019
By Lenore Rice Wilson Nesbitt is delighted to be taking part in 'Make a Will month' in support of the Northern Ireland Hospice throughout the month of March. Simply contact us to... Read more
Remarrying couples often unaware that marriage revokes a Will
29th January 2019
By Lenore Rice There is a general lack of understanding about writing a Will, and what happens to your estate if you don't have one, but another aspect that very few... Read more
Have you resolved to finally write a Will in 2019?
31st December 2018
By Lenore Rice Writing a Will often appears in a list of New Years resolutions and is something that is regularly put off. Most people are in agreement that making a... Read more
Cohabitation and the law - steps for couples to protect their family
6th September 2018
By Lenore Rice Living together, or cohabiting, is on the increase with approximately 3.3m cohabiting couples in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. That equates to one family in... Read more
64 per cent of 25-to-45 year olds expect to receive inheritance
26th July 2018
A report by Sanlam UK suggests that 64 per cent of 25-45-year-olds in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK expect to receive an inheritance, and just over a... Read more
Why you need to write a Will in 2018
4th January 2018
By Lenore Rice Research on the number of adults in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK who have not written a Will regularly suggest that somewhere between 50 and... Read more
Northern Ireland farmers encouraged to make death bed tax plans
13th November 2017
By Lenore Rice Specialist rural accountants have encouraged farmers in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK to seek advice in respect of inheritance tax and capital gains tax in... Read more
Carer who stole £300k from vulnerable elderly woman jailed for 9 years
10th July 2017
By Lenore Rice A woman who has been given a 9 year jail sentence for stealing nearly £300,000 from a vulnerable 102-year-old woman that she was caring form, and for making... Read more
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
15th June 2017
By Lenore Rice Thursday 15th June is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, which aims to increase awareness about the abuse and suffering inflicted on older people in Northern Ireland, the UK... Read more
Significance of u-turn on absolute limits to care funding
23rd May 2017
By Lenore Rice The Conservative Party would prefer to call it a clarification rather than a u-turn, but either way, Theresa May has announced that there would be an “absolute limit... Read more
Over half of parents want to give away early inheritance
28th April 2017
By Lenore Rice Just over a half of parents want to give an early inheritance gift to their children according to a new study by Key Retirement. The 53 per cent of... Read more
Writing a Will isn't just about who gets what
27th March 2017
By Lenore Rice It is regularly estimated that approximately 70 per cent of adults do not have a Will, and recent research suggests that nearly a third of adults still fail... Read more
Supreme Court rules in favour of animal charities in Will challenge
15th March 2017
By Lenore Rice The Supreme Court has ruled in favour of three animal charities who had challenged the decision of the Court of Appeal to award £160,000 to a woman who... Read more
Brothers asserting lack of testamentary capacity lose Will challenge
13th March 2017
By Lenore Rice Two brothers have failed in their efforts to contest a Will of their father which bequeathed half of his £250,000 fortune to their stepmother. Richard and Jonathan Powell claimed... Read more
Make a Will in March and our fee goes to Northern Ireland Hospice
24th February 2017
Wilson Nesbitt will be taking part in Northern Ireland Hospice's "Make a Will Month" again this year, meaning you can write a Will in March and make a donation instead... Read more
More parents using discretionary trusts to protect family assets from divorce
16th February 2017
By Lenore Rice New research suggests that more people are using discretionary trusts to protect gifts of money or assets to their married children in the event of a future divorce. Discretionary... Read more
Inheritance lessons to learn from Prince and a princess
20th January 2017
By Lenore Rice When it comes to making a Will and making plans to pass on your estate, there are no more obvious high-profile examples to look at than the cases... Read more
Making a Will continues to feature on resolution lists
3rd January 2017
By Lenore Rice There are a few resolutions that carry over from each year, and will almost certainly find themselves on next year's list as well - one of which is... Read more
5 things to consider when making a Will
15th August 2016
By Lenore Rice A high percentage of adults in Northern Ireland consider making a Will but fail to carry through to writing one, largely because it is difficult to contemplate a... Read more
Renewed calls for scrapping of inheritance tax
28th July 2016
By Lenore Rice There have been renewed calls for the abolishment of inheritance tax after it was revealed that 28,000 families in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK were... Read more
Failed challenge to Will that reneged on property inheritance
8th July 2016
By Lenore Rice A man who gave £8,000 to his mother-in-law so that she could purchase her council house alleged that she had promised to leave the property to him upon... Read more
Inheritance dispute judge says no clear promise was made
30th June 2016
By Lenore Rice A son has failed in his attempt to contest the Will of his mother that left almost the entire estate to his sister, with the High Court judge... Read more
Court reduces payout to farmer's daughter whose parents changed Will
19th May 2016
By Lenore Rice The Court of Appeal has reduced the £1.3million payout awarded to a woman who worked on her parents farm on the basis of a promise that she would... Read more
Widow stood to earn £6m from divorce but got £36k in Will
9th May 2016
By Lenore Rice A woman is contesting the Will of her husband who died while they were in the middle of divorce proceedings from which she expected to receive a £6million... Read more
Cohabiting couples urged to make a Will to protect assets
25th March 2016
By Lenore Rice A woman who almost lost £400,000 of assets she had accumulated with her partner is urging cohabiting couples to make a Will. Sue Singer, aged 56, says her house... Read more
Poll reveals inheritance tax is the most hated tax in the UK
9th March 2016
By Lenore Rice A survey has revealed that inheritance tax is the most hated tax among people in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, with 90 per cent of... Read more
Increase in gifting to cut inheritance tax bills
29th February 2016
By Lenore Rice An increasing number of people in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are making gifts of assets in order to reduce the inheritance tax bill their... Read more
Judge awards co-habiting partner of 18 years share of property
17th February 2016
By Lenore Rice A judge has awarded a woman her deceased partner's share of the property they lived in together for 18 years, after it had originally passed on to his... Read more
Inheritance tax payments in the UK reach 35-year high
8th January 2016
By Lenore Rice A freeze on the inheritance tax threshold, coupled with the removal of some tax reliefs and rising property prices has resulted in the highest number of families in... Read more
Importance of receiving specialist Inheritance tax advice
21st December 2015
Content pending. Read more
Reminder to write a Will in November and our fee goes to charity
16th November 2015
By Lenore Rice We are just past the half-way mark of Make A Will month, in which you can write a Will and make a donation to charity instead of paying... Read more
Will Aid month is underway - make a Will and our fee goes to charity
3rd November 2015
By Lenore Rice Throughout the month of November you can write a Will with the assistance of our experienced Will writing solicitors, and make a donation to charity rather than pay... Read more
Woman used power of attorney to steal sister's inheritance
28th October 2015
By Lenore Rice A woman is facing prison after being found guilty of the theft of her sister's £50,000 inheritance. Maxine Forster, now aged 50, had been granted a power of attorney... Read more
Will Aid - Write a Will and our fee goes to Charity
26th October 2015
Wilson Nesbitt is delighted to confirm that we will be again taking apart in the Will Aid scheme this November, which means you can write a Will and donate the... Read more
People in Northern Ireland are the most reluctant to make a Will
13th October 2015
By Lenore Rice Fewer people in Northern Ireland have made a Will according to research that looked at adults across the whole of the UK. The research by unbiased.co.uk looked at how... Read more
Increase in number of people contesting a Will in court
7th October 2015
By Lenore Rice Figures from the Ministry of Justice have revealed a large increase in the number of people going to court to contest a Will. Complex family structures are thought to... Read more
Will revisions required to benefit from new inheritance tax allowance
16th September 2015
By Lenore Rice Accountants are warning that thousands of people in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK will need to update their Will in order to benefit from a... Read more
Daughters to contest inheritance conditions that reward marriage
5th August 2015
By Lenore Rice The two daughters of millionaire Maurice Laboz, who died at the age of 77 this year, are going to court to contest the conditions he placed on the... Read more
One in three people are counting on inheritance cash payout
4th August 2015
By Lenore Rice One in three people in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are expecting to receive an inheritance cash payout according to new research by insurer LV=. A... Read more
Disinherited daughter successfully challenges Will in landmark case
28th July 2015
By Lenore Rice A landmark court decision that awarded a disinherited daughter a third of her mother's estate, despite the latter's express intention that she should receive nothing, could result in... Read more
Budget speech delivers living wage and inheritance tax boost
8th July 2015
Chancellor George Osborne surprised many people in his Budget speech with the announcement that the living wage would be introduced for employees aged over 25, coming into effect next April. The... Read more
Tory inheritance tax plan is 'special treatment for property owners'
13th April 2015
By Lenore Rice The Conservatives have announced that they would introduce a new zero-rate band of £175,000 on a main property involved in an estate for inheritance tax purposes. Essentially, the threshold... Read more
Increasing number of estates are liable for inheritance tax
10th April 2015
By Lenore Rice The continued freeze of the threshold at which inheritance tax becomes payable is expected to result in a record amount of inheritance tax receipts in 2015/16. The current inheritance... Read more
£1.3m compensation for daughter who was promised inheritance
26th February 2015
By Lenore Rice The High Court in Cardiff has awarded £1.3million compensation to a woman who worked for nothing on her parents farm for years on the promise that she would... Read more
Wilson Nesbitt is participating in NI Hospice Make a Will Month
25th February 2015
By Lenore Rice Throughout the month of March clients can write a Will with Wilson Nesbitt and make a donation to Northern Ireland Hospice instead of paying the standard solicitor fee. Make... Read more
38,000 inheritances delayed each year because of DIY Wills
9th February 2015
By Lenore Rice New research suggests that as many as 38,000 inheritances in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are delayed each year because of poorly drafted Wills. An ineffective... Read more
Robin Williams family take inheritance dispute to court
3rd February 2015
By Lenore Rice An inheritance dispute involving the family of Robin Williams highlights the importance of clear and detailed instructions when writing a Will or creating a Trust. The children of Robin... Read more
Call for capital gains tax and inheritance tax to be merged
2nd February 2015
The Institute of Directors (IoD) is calling for the government to merge capital gains tax and inheritance tax to stop owners of high valued properties being taxed twice on the... Read more
Divorce among over-50s is up but negligence on Wills remains
28th January 2015
By Lenore Rice The number of people over the age of 50 having a divorce has increased by 85 per cent since 2000, yet there is still the same negligence as... Read more
Legal help to fulfill your New Year's resolutions
6th January 2015
A new year is upon us, and according to surveys and polls, over half of us have made some kind of resolution for 2015. As ever, health and finances top... Read more
Why modern life for over-50s makes writing a Will a necessity
26th November 2014
By Lenore Rice Surveys consistently conclude that approximately 7 out of every 10 adults in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK do not have a Will, and there is... Read more
Woman who wished her mother dead loses inheritance claim
11th November 2014
By Lenore Rice A woman who wrote to her mother to disown her and wish her dead has failed in her attempt to claim an inheritance on the estate. Mary Waters, the... Read more
Son loses inheritance and goes to jail for fraud
11th November 2014
By Lenore Rice A man who defrauded his terminally ill father of nearly £50,000 has been given a 20 month prison sentence and will not receive the £27,000 inheritance from his... Read more
Will Aid - Make a Will and donate to charity instead of paying us
4th November 2014
By Lenore Rice Wilson Nesbitt is delighted to announce that it is taking part in Will Aid again this year. Running for the month of November, people can write a Will... Read more
Lack of Will allows estranged wife to inherit everything
31st October 2014
By Lenore Rice An ex-policeman who had lived with his new partner for 15 months had failed to renew his Will before his death, meaning all of his estate passed to... Read more
Men are more likely to keep and update a Will
31st October 2014
By Lenore Rice New research by the Law Society reveals that men are more likely to have a Will and keep it updated than women, however the vast majority of adults... Read more
NI farmer admits forging will to inherit £1m estate
23rd October 2014
By Lenore Rice A farmer from Northern Ireland has pleaded guilty to forging a Will in order to inherit the £1million estate from an elderly woman. Catherine Haughey, who died in December... Read more
Cameron says inheritance tax cut will have to wait
16th October 2014
By Lenore Rice Prime Minister David Cameron has warned that an increase in the threshold at which inheritance tax becomes payable may have to wait until after the General Election in... Read more
Rise in council charges on houses to recoup care costs
6th October 2014
By Lenore Rice Local councils are registering a legal charge on 8 properties a day to recoup elderly care costs according to new data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. NFU... Read more
UKIP pledge to scrap inheritance tax
23rd September 2014
By Lenore Rice The UK Independence Party (UKIP) will pledge to scrap inheritance tax at it's annual conference this Friday, and while the party's chances of general election success next year... Read more
Inheritance tax implications of rising property prices
17th September 2014
By Lenore Rice Northern Ireland property owners have learned that their house values increased by the lowest amount of the whole of the UK in the year to the end of... Read more
Inheritance disputes causing older couples to divorce
22nd August 2014
By Lenore Rice Divorce solicitors in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are seeing an increase in divorces among older couples who cannot agree on inheritance issues, and in... Read more
Son faked signature of brother to take £1.5m inheritance
22nd August 2014
By Lenore Rice Bristol Crown Court has heard that a man was cheated out of his share of a £1.5million inheritance after his businessman brother forged his signature to wind up... Read more
Proposals for inheritance tax to be paid before death
11th August 2014
Inheritance tax is often referred to as the 'death tax', but if a proposal is taken up by the government it could become just another one of the taxes we... Read more
Musician Sting tells children not to expect big inheritance
24th June 2014
By Lenore Rice Musician Sting has said that he does not intend to leave his £180million fortune to his children, and that they have already been told not to be expect... Read more
Daughters contest Will leaving fortune to mother's young lover
18th June 2014
By Lenore Rice Two daughters are challenging the Will of their mother that left most of her £1.2million estate to her lover who was 23 years younger than her. Alison Walker and... Read more
Council fails to force sale of house to fund nursing care
17th June 2014
By Lenore Rice A local council has lost it's bid to force the sale of a property belonging to an elderly woman who was taken into a nursing home. Mary Walford, aged... Read more
Government to promote lasting powers of attorney
17th June 2014
By Lenore Rice The government is keen to promote lasting powers of attorney, will writing, and other matters connected to life planning with a special day to be held next year. The... Read more
Thank you to all our clients who took part in Will Aid
6th June 2014
We would like to thank all our clients who took part in Will Aid 2013 - the annual scheme where people can make a Will and have the solicitor fee... Read more
Emily Morris receives STEP NI Diploma
27th May 2014
Pictured right - The President of the Supreme Court Lord Neuberger presents Emily Morris with her STEP NI Diploma at a STEP conference at the Stormont Hotel in Belfast with... Read more
Parents lose bid to go back on farm inheritance promise
9th May 2014
By Lenore Rice A woman who worked for years on her parents farm for low pay has won her fight to be given a stake in the business after her parents... Read more
Sisters remove mother as administrator of father's estate
24th April 2014
By Lenore Rice The wife of multi-millionaire Northern Ireland man Michael Hoey has been removed as his personal representative after the High Court in Belfast ruled that she did not understand... Read more
Law Society advises Will writers on digital legacies
23rd April 2014
By Lenore Rice The Law Society has advised Will writers of the importance of clear instructions when it comes to their digital legacies. Many testators now have digital or online property, such... Read more
Maeve Binchy considered herself a great Will maker
1st April 2014
By Lenore Rice Irish novelist Maeve Binchy, who died aged 72 in 2012, considered herself to be a "great Will maker" and claimed she had updated her Will at least 40... Read more
PM keen to increase inheritance tax threshold higher
25th March 2014
By Lenore Rice David Cameron says he is keen to encourage more people to leave an inheritance to their family by increasing the threshold at which inheritance tax becomes payable. Mr Cameron... Read more
Nephew promised inheritance successfully contests Will
11th March 2014
By Lenore Rice The High Court has acted to ensure that the nephew of an elderly woman who left his job to look after her received the inheritance he was promised,... Read more
Wilson Nesbitt clients help us raise £1665 for charity
7th March 2014
By Lenore Rice We are delighted to confirm that our clients have helped us raise £1665 for the charities supported by Will Aid by writing a Will with us and making... Read more
Lessons we can learn from Philip Seymour Hoffman's Will
24th February 2014
By Lenore Rice The Oscar winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who passed earlier this month, had written a Will that we can take some very valuable points from. First of all, that... Read more
Half of UK inheritance tax paid in London and South East
21st February 2014
By Lenore Rice Approximately £3.1billion inheritance tax was paid in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK in 2012-13, but half of that was generated from estates in London and... Read more
NI Mortgage advisers say only 1 in 4 clients have a Will
6th February 2014
By Lenore Rice The results of a survey of mortgage advisers in Northern Ireland suggests that at best only a quarter of clients purchasing or remortgaging their property have written a... Read more
Supreme Court upholds Will despite signature mix-up
24th January 2014
By Lenore Rice The Supreme Court has delivered an important judgment in respect of a challenge to mirror Wills of a couple who accidentally signed each other's Will. Maureen and Alfred Rawlings... Read more
HMRC challenges yield £108m in additional inheritance tax
21st January 2014
By Lenore Rice New research shows that the HMRC brought in 23 per cent more inheritance tax in 2013 as a result of challenging the valuation of estates, netting an additional... Read more
Police officer who forged father's Will gets jail term
21st January 2014
By Lenore Rice A police officer who forged his deceased father's Will in order to receive the entirety of his estate has been given an eight month prison sentence. Darren Hart says... Read more
99yr old woman sued by grandson over farm inheritance
7th January 2014
By Lenore Rice The High Court has been asked to rule in a matter concerning a 99-year-old woman who is being sued by her grandson in respect of the succession of... Read more
The Will to keep your New Year's resolution
6th January 2014
By Lenore Rice Around half of us in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are expected to make resolutions for the New Year - only a small percentage will... Read more
Rising house prices to increase inheritance tax bills
5th December 2013
By Lenore Rice The estates of deceased persons in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are likely to face a higher inheritance tax bill this year as a result... Read more
Wealthy women under 65 are most likely to inherit
1st November 2013
By Lenore Rice A new government study has revealed that self-employed women under the age of 65 who are already considerably wealthy are the most likely to receive an inheritance. The figures... Read more
Make a Will and help charity at the same time in Nov
25th October 2013
By Lenore Rice In November you can make a Will and have the solicitor fee donated to charity by taking part in Will Aid. This is the 25th year of Will Aid,... Read more
Councils cracking down on care home fee avoidance
21st October 2013
By Lenore Rice Councils are said to be paying more attention to the motivation behind transfers of property by older people to their grown up children before they go into care... Read more
Unpaid inheritance tax increases to £400million
15th October 2013
By Lenore Rice New figures released by HM Revenue and Customs (HRMC) show that the amount of unpaid inheritance tax has gone up by £100million to a total of £400million compared... Read more
Inheritances dropped to sort retirement shortfall
18th September 2013
By Lenore Rice An increasing number of people are having to drop their plans to leave an inheritance to their children as they begin to count the cost of retirement, says... Read more
7 out of 10 people who died last year had no Will
9th September 2013
By Lenore Rice Seven out of ten people who died last year did not have a Will according to charity Carers Trust. People who die without a valid Will are said to... Read more
Care home costs reduce chance of inheritance
9th September 2013
By Lenore Rice A new report claims that 75 per cent of people in England and Wales that go into a care home will see all their savings and property value... Read more
IHT simplification proposal anything but simple
30th August 2013
By Lenore Rice The HMRC has supposedly been trying to simplify the UK tax system, generally considered to be one of the most complex in Europe, if not the world. It's... Read more
Fewer people to leave their property as inheritance
15th August 2013
By Lenore Rice The number of people in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK planning to sell or rent their property in order to fund their retirement has risen... Read more
Wording of Will prompts Gov u-turn on cash gift
15th August 2013
By Lenore Rice David Cameron has said that £520,000 left as a bequest to the government by Joan Edwards in her Will is now going to be passed to the Treasury,... Read more
Inheritance tax payments at 6 year high
5th August 2013
By Lenore Rice The amount of inheritance tax paid by people in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK rose for a third consecutive year in 2012, taking it to... Read more
Couple escape jail sentence over Will forgery
2nd August 2013
By Lenore Rice A couple have evaded a prison sentence in respect of forging a Will and trying to defraud their own son of an inheritance, largely on the basis of... Read more
Over half of millionaires don't have up to date Will
23rd July 2013
One of the most common reasons given by the 70 per cent of the adult population in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK for not making a Will... Read more
Heir Hunter posed as solicitor to claim house
23rd July 2013
When the neighbours of a deceased pensioner confronted a woman with a locksmith changing the locks on his house she told them she was a solicitor and handed over a... Read more
Executor stole money meant for children's charity
22nd July 2013
Christopher MacKnight, aged 53, has been given a 27 month prison sentence for abusing his position as executor of his best friend's estate to steal money intended for a children's... Read more
Power of attorney used to steal from stepmother
22nd July 2013
A 66 year old woman has pleaded guilty to using a power of attorney to steal over £10,100 from her stepmother. Ann Fawcet and her husband were given power of attorney... Read more
Will upheld despite declining mental powers
31st May 2013
A son has lost his attempt to overturn a Will signed by his mother at the age of 88 without legal advice and without a medical check, despite the judge... Read more
Increased living costs reducing inheritances
30th May 2013
Fewer people in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK will be benefiting from inheritances according to Aviva's Real Retirement report. Just over one in five people who are approaching... Read more
Children fail to revoke Will leaving £6.7m to charity
2nd May 2013
The four children of multi-millionaire Alfred Stewart have failed in their bid to revoke his Will leaving almost all of his £6.7million estate to charity, and nothing to them. The children... Read more
Woman steals £120,000 from great uncles account
2nd May 2013
A woman who was put in a position of trust with access to her 84-year-old Great Uncle's life savings admitted to embezzling just under £120,000 to fund her gambling addiction. Franciso... Read more
Couple lose £500k legacy as Will ruled invalid
22nd March 2013
A couple have lost out on a £500,000 legacy in a Will made by a woman who they say decided to cut her family out of any inheritance because they... Read more
Jail sentence for aunt who stole inheritance
15th January 2013
Carole Walker, aged 57, has been sentenced to eight months in prison after admitting the theft of over £30,000 inheritance money that was intended for her niece. Ms Walker was named... Read more
New Years resolutions more finance orientated
31st December 2012
The past couple of years have seen a change to the most popular New Years resolutions made by people in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. While dieting, exercise... Read more
More people living to 100 alters inheritance plans
19th December 2012
A new report by the Office for National Statistics shows that more people in England and Wales are living beyond 100 years, raising more questions on the affect of an... Read more
Daughter says inheritance actually for cats
10th September 2012
A woman who has been accused of concealing a £50,000 inheritance gift from her Mum in order not to lose her pension credits says the gift was actually for her... Read more
Investment risks farmland IHT exemption
9th August 2012
The increasing practice of investors purchasing farming land to avoid inheritance tax could result in the IHT exemption on farmland being removed altogether by HMRC. In some areas farmers are finding... Read more
Secret Millionaire loses inheritance row
20th July 2010
John Griffin, aged 68, was one of the most generous donors to appear on the Channel 4 show 'Secret Millionaire', which involves wealthy people going undercover in underprivileged areas only... Read more
Pensioners' life expectancy has improved, data shows
30th January 2009
Future trust and estate planning is likely to be impacted upon by the changing circumstances surrounding pensioners, who are said to be living more fulfilling lives compared to ten years... Read more
Singles ignore writing a will
6th January 2009
Concerns over estate planning have been raised by Standard Life, which says that one in five single people risk having their dying wishes neglected because they do not have a... Read more
House-sharing to avoid inheritance tax not recommended
8th December 2008
Going into house-sharing arrangements to avoid the inheritance tax (IHT) implications after death can bring all sorts of complications, solicitors in Belfast may want to know.According to Equity Partners, pensioners... Read more
Labour MP blames lack of support for failure of inheritance tax amendment
9th July 2008
A Labour MP's proposal that siblings should be entitled to the same inheritance tax break as a married couple has been discarded.The Guardian reports that Frank Field's suggested amendment to... Read more
Civil partnership split warning
20th June 2008
People considering entering into a civil partnership in Northern Ireland should consult solicitors and plan carefully before taking the vows, it has been advised.According to the Law Society, entering into... Read more
Super-rich 'still hunting for NI property'
12th June 2008
The very wealthy are still on the look-out for new large luxury homes, an architect has claimed.Des Ewing said that interest in his homes is so high that he has... Read more
Wills 'need to be regularly reviewed'
28th May 2008
Wills and trusts need to be regularly reviewed as the inheritance people are able to leave changes, according to the Law Society.The society claims that solicitors need to be consulted... Read more
Care home financial advice 'essential'
14th May 2008
Taking financial advice about retirement and care home provision is "essential", Saga has claimed.The magazine, insurance and holidays provider for the over-50s, has welcomed Gordon Brown's review on social care... Read more
Having a will ensures money passes to correct inheritors
13th May 2008
Making a will is essential for those who want to influence what happens to their estate after they die, a financial expert has advised.David Kuo, head of finance at Fool.co.uk,... Read more
IHT problems for unmarried couples
7th May 2008
Co-habiting couples who are not married or in civil partnerships are not entitled to the same inheritance tax (IHT) benefits as those who are, a firm of independent financial advisors... Read more
Solicitors 'essential' for co-buyers
14th January 2008
With property prices in Belfast and Northern Ireland remaining high, many people may be tempted to buy a house with other people, but this should be entered into with caution... Read more
Widow forced to settle with husband's ex-wife
11th October 2007
Solicitors in Northern Ireland will have watched an unusual case with interest, as a woman whose husband died only hours after they married has been forced to pay £100,000 to... Read more
Darling pledges inheritance tax cut
10th October 2007
Chancellor Alistair Darling has announced that inheritance tax will be cut in his first pre-Budget Report.Solicitors in Northern Ireland may see more clients looking to buy houses as the inheritance... Read more
Clever couples can avoid high IHT
7th August 2007
Married couples or those in a civil partnership can help to cut inheritance tax (IHT) by writing a nil rate band discretionary trust will, Willcare has advised. Couples in Britain... Read more
Inheritance 'vital financial support'
13th March 2007
An increasing number of people across the UK and Northern Ireland are planning to fall back on inheritance windfalls to support them and their children, it has been claimed.Solicitors in... Read more
News Categories
- Asbestos Related Claims
- Assets Splits
- Attorney Powers
- Business Transfers
- Capital Gains Tax
- Charities
- Child Contact
- Claims
- Commercial Disputes
- Commercial Law
- Commercial Property
- Conveyancing
- Corporate Recovery
- Criminal
- Criminal Injuries
- Debt Recovery
- Divorce
- Domestic Violence
- E-Commerce
- Employment
- Enduring Powers of Attorney
- Estate Administration
- Family law
- Financial Settlements
- Gifting
- Housing Associations
- Income Tax
- Industrial Disease
- Information Privacy Law
- Inheritance Tax
- Licensing
- Medical Negligence
- Mental Health Law
- Motoring offences
- Office of Care and Protection
- Pension Law
- Police Investigations
- Prescription Drug Poisoning Allegations
- Professional Negligence
- Public Place Injuries
- Remortgaging
- Residential Property
- Road Traffic Accidents
- Self Assessment
- Separation
- Social Enterprises
- Tax
- Tax Investigations
- Trusts and Trust Management
- Wills
- Work Related Injuries
