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IHT Tax Relief - Acceptance in Lieu Scheme

Whilst an uncommon and rarely used scheme, Acceptance in Lieu can offer those lucky enough to be dealing with cultural or historical assets an...

Do you need help and advice with Continuing Healthcare funding?

Thousands of people are paying care home fees when they are entitled to have these costs covered by the NHS. With the cost of these fees escalating...

Gifting property to mitigate care fees

Clients often ask about giving away their property to avoid care fees in the future and whilst there is nothing to stop you gifting your property, it...

Why are the DWP investigating an estate?

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) contact personal representatives of an estate on some occasions where a deceased was in receipt of means...

Deeds of Variation

When someone dies, their estate is distributed according to their Will or, if there is no Will, under the rules of intestacy. However, sometimes the...

Rogue Executors and Administrators: When Wills and the Rules of Intestacy are ignored

The Telegraph has recently reported that High Court cases where people are suing Executors in 2023 rose by 20% from the year before. It suggests that...

Preserving legacy: advising on the succession of the family farm

Farming families are often deeply rooted in their land and history. Ensuring the farm's legacy continues through generations is therefore a critical...

Securing your future: The importance of Personal Injury Compensation Trusts

For anyone who has received a significant compensation award as a result of a personal injury or are likely to benefit from such an award, creating a...

The importance of Lasting Powers of Attorney: A vital step for your future

Life is unpredictable. As much as we try to plan and control what happens next, the unexpected can strike at any time. From accidents to illnesses,...

Your Guide to the Trust Registration Service: Key Questions Answered

In our latest blog series our specialist Trusts Team aim to cover some of the most common issues when navigating the administration of Trusts, with...

“Administration is eternal, forever and ever, Amen” - Removing an Executor

Whilst Sir Humphrey Appleby is, no doubt, right about the business of government being an eternal process (something we have perhaps all been...

The Autumn Budget Announcement: What does it mean for your succession planning?

Following yesterday’s announcement from Rachel Reeves, change is coming for the way that agricultural businesses and estates need to plan for the...

Putting a Caveat on progress…

With the Ministry of Justice reporting that the number of Caveat applications made in England and Wales passed the 10,000 mark in 2023, it is clear...

What is deliberate deprivation of assets/capital?

Deliberate deprivation of assets is where you have intentionally decreased your overall assets, or the assets of a person that you are acting for...

Surrendering a Life Interest – Inheritance Tax Consequences

If you create a life interest trust in your will (known as a qualifying interest in possession trust (IIP)), the assets are held by the trustees...

Porter Dodson retain ranking in the latest High Net Worth Guide 2024

Porter Dodson is thrilled to have been recognised in the recently released Chambers and Partners High Net Worth guide. The guide differentiates the...

Vulnerable Beneficiaries

In our latest blog series our specialist Trusts Team aim to cover some of the most common issues when navigating the administration of Trusts, with...

Ways To Challenge a Will - Lack of Testamentary Capacity

A Will is invalid if at the time it is executed the person making it (‘the testator’):

Standish v Standish – Nuance in The Deemed Divorce Cross-check in Inheritance Act Claims

The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 When somebody dies and ‘reasonable financial provision’ is not made for their...

Nil Rate Band Discretionary (“NRB”) Trusts

In our latest blog series our specialist Trusts Team aim to cover some of the most common issues when navigating the administration of Trusts. This...

Ways To Challenge a Will - Want of Knowledge and Approval, Rectification and Professional Negligence

A Will is invalid if at the time it is executed the person making it (‘the testator’) does not know: that they are making a Will; or that it will...

What are Asset Protection Trusts?

In our latest blog series our specialist Trusts Team aim to cover some of the most common issues when navigating the administration of Trusts. This...

Lost Wills: What are the consequences and what can be done?

Inevitably, the process of administering a person’s estate starts very soon after their death. One of the first steps in that process is finding the...

Court finds seven Charitable Gifts as valid Dryden v Young & Others (2024)

Charitable Gifts in Wills Many people look to make provision in their Wills for Charity, for a variety of reasons. Some may wish to benefit a...

Heyes v Holt – Weak Claims, Summary Judgment and Quasi-Security for costs in the alternative

Many probate disputes are genuine. However, quite a lot of claims are weak, and are pursued in the belief that the defendant is bound to settle if...

What happens when Trustees lose mental capacity?

In our latest blog series our specialist Trusts Team aim to cover some of the most common issues when navigating the administration of Trusts. We are...

Marriage vs. Cohabitation: Navigating financial and legal complexities in modern relationships

The Office of National Statistics has recently announced that the number of people who are married or in a formal civil partnership has fallen, for...

Have you thought about succession planning?

Spring is in the air, Autumn crops are enjoying a respite from the rain, lambing is well under way and the ground is now being prepared for sowing...

Estate Administration Disputes (Testate Estates)

Disputes between Executors and the Beneficiaries of Estates have become much more common in recent years. Often, the dispute has its origins in both...

Porter Dodson welcomes two new Partners to strengthen Private Client team

Southwest based law firm, Porter Dodson, is pleased to announce the addition of Ben Simpson and Chris Dickinson as Partners, further enhancing their...

Do I need a Lasting Power of Attorney?

In her latest blog, Robyn Greenway, a Senior Legal Advisor in our Private Client Team in Wellington, discusses the ins and outs of Powers of Attorney...

Claims Under The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975

‘As I was banished, I was banished Hereford. But as I come, I come for...my claim To my inheritance’.

Porter Dodson’s Private Client team welcomes new Partner, Susannah Emson

Porter Dodson is boosting their offering in the Southwest Private Client sector by the appointment of Susannah Emson (formerly Bower) as a Partner...

What is an intestate estate?

Robyn Greenway, a Senior Legal Advisor in our Private Client Team in Wellington often deals with a large number of intestate estates, and knows these...

An inheritance to kill for?

Whilst the volume of Contentious Probate disputes continues to rise exponentially, thankfully most discontented individuals seek remedy and...

Porter Dodson ranked in the 2023 Chambers High Net Worth Guide

Porter Dodson is thrilled to have been recognised in the latest global Chambers and Partners High Net Worth guide. The guide differentiates the best...

3 reasons why you should make a will

It is often not until someone discusses their wishes and affairs that they recognise the importance of a will. We frequently deal with families and...

Porter Dodson announces new Managing Partner

UK Top 200 law firm Porter Dodson, based across Somerset & Dorset, has appointed a new Managing Partner. Kate James takes on the role from Rob Fox,...

Wills witnessed by video link to be made legal

In a controversial announcement made by the Government on 25 July 2020, wills witnessed via video link are to be legalised temporarily. As expected,...

Power of attorney FAQs

We recommend that everyone has a power of attorney in place. It will ensure that your affairs can be managed in the event you do not have capacity to...

Can siblings reduce Inheritance Tax?

The position of siblings under UK Inheritance Tax (IHT) law received further media coverage last week, prompted by the Utley sisters and also by a...

Personal Representative: Will I be personally liable?

It is likely that at some point either you, a family member or a friend will be appointed to act as a Personal Representative of an estate.

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