Don’t Make Handwritten Wills – if you do, don’t make more than one!
Confusion, conflict and court. The result of the competition between two handwritten Wills. These were not the Wills of an ordinary individual, but the Wills of the “Queen of Soul”, Aretha Franklin who died in 2018. Following her death, the family did not believe she...
Should I always accept the highest offer?
There is nothing more satisfying when you are selling a house than to have multiple offers from which to choose. Fixing a closing date does tend to concentrate the buyers’ minds. It also means the competition usually leads to a higher sale price. However, at the...
Will my estate be liable for Inheritance Tax?
The Inheritance Tax threshold over which estates pay Inheritance Tax (IHT) has been frozen at £325,000 since 2009. Since then, property prices have risen along with most asset values. That has meant an ever-increasing number of estates are becoming liable for...
What is a Deed of Variation (and why would you need one)?
Beneficiaries sometimes ask us if they must follow the deceased’s instructions in a Will. They also ask if they can change the distribution of the estate when the deceased died without a Will. If beneficiaries wish to change the distribution of an estate, whether...
Missives are concluded – does this mean I’ve actually sold my house?
You have every right to get excited when you get an offer when you are selling your house and it exceeds your expectations. Perhaps, in the heat of the moment, you forget that saying “yes” is only the start of the process. That process involves an exchange of letters...
Do you have “capacity” to make a Will?
Usually, drawing up a Will in Scotland for our clients is relatively uncomplicated. Clients tell us about their intentions and what they would like to happen after they have passed away. We then give advice on how this can be set out in their Will. After that, we...
Dealing with Common Repairs
Clients often ask us how they can deal with common repairs to their property when one or more of the owners in the building is not prepared to co-operate or contribute. This challenge faces the owner of any house where there is an element of common property. There are...
Flight delay compensation – check your entitlement
Whilst we do not carry out any civil recovery work, we are very aware that clients might be affected by flight delays this summer. Because of that, we thought we should set out your rights to flight delay compensation if you do get stuck in an airport! The first thing...
Donating to charity through a Will
Charities depend heavily on donations made to them through Wills. This is a particularly important source of income for charities. Charities often encourage these types of donations through adverting and promotions. We often ask clients if they wish to make a...
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