• Basic Wills from £125.00
    Basic Wills from £125.00
    Without a valid Last Will and Testament any assets you leave on death will be distributed according to the Rules of Intestacy. These rules lay down a rigid method of estate distribution and make no account of your wishes. Click the image to read more...
  • We realise that most people haven’t experienced probate before. Probate is the administration of a deceased’s Estate by the appointed “executors” in the Will, usually family members. At an already difficult and emotional time, the complexities of executing a Will and establishing any appropriate Trusts can be an arduous task. Click the image to the left to read more...
  • Inheritance Tax is simply a tax on money or possessions you leave behind when you pass on.It can also apply to some “gifts” you make during your lifetime. It is therefore vital that you receive professional Inheritance Tax Advice on your position to minimise the impact and tax paid should the worst happen, ensuring that your loved ones receive as much of your money as possible. Click the image to the left to read more...
  • Without a valid Last Will and Testament any assets you leave on death will be distributed according to the Rules of Intestacy. These rules lay down a rigid method of estate distribution and make no account of your wishes, unless you write a will. Click the image to the left to read more...
  • Lasting Powers of Attorney from £150
    Lasting Powers of Attorney from £150
    Often serious illness or accidents strike without warning. Last year, for example, approximately 130000 people suffered strokes. Without a Lasting Power of Attorney being available this is when it becomes difficult... Click the image to the left to read more...

Another unpredictable death

The death of Bob Crowe ,Trades Union Leader, at the age of 52 once again illustrates the unpredictability of death. After seeing reports of him in the national press only a few days earlier enjoying a sunshine holiday in Brazil the last thing one expects to see is this sad announcement

It is worthy of note that his reported annual salary was  £145k pa  Presumably he was also in a pension scheme which probably provided for a ‘death in service’ benefit. This could be as high as 3 x salary and amount to £435k.  This immediately takes his estate into the realms of Inheritance tax if not gifted under trust to his wife or other beneficiaries. Better still it could have been diverted to a ‘Spousal Bypass Trust’ so that his wife could enjoy the proceeds by means of loans which in turn reduce her Inheritance Tax liability .

David Dexter says that ‘this sudden early death emphasises the need for every employed person who is in a pension scheme which provides a death in service benefit to make a Will . The monies received are often overlooked when ordinary Wills are made and the inclusion of a Spousal Bypass Trust can save thousands of pounds in future Inheritance Tax liabilities. ‘