Pets in Estate Planning

From pussycats fluffy, to horses in fields From family pooches to bright parakeets We all have our wonderful, long living pets Who’ll need help if you’re gone, with food, shelter and vets So, make sure you are thoughtful of what will happen to them Should anything happen to you in the end Consider a gift, […]

Common Lasting Power of Attorney Errors

Lasting Powers of Attorney are complex legal documents and care must be taken when drafting them to ensure that are completed correctly. The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) will reject any forms that are incorrect and don’t meet their standards. These are the most common mistakes that people make when completing the forms: To […]

Invest in Trust

Fraud is a word we hear a lot these days and it’s a frightening reality that with the digital age fraud, including identity theft, is becoming more common. In the UK the unauthorised financial fraud losses totalled over £700 million in 2017. When it comes to estate management there are numerous scams for cheap Wills […]

Dealing with Personal Chattels

There are many legal terms that can make it difficult to understand your Will.  These words and phrases are often there to ensure that the Will goes through probate smoothly. One common term used in Will writing is ‘Personal Chattels’. There is a legal definition of these, but the common usage definition works just as […]

Appointing Trustees or Executors

For your Will to be valid, it must name executors.  These are the people or organisations who carry out your wishes when you die.  It is important that you choose the right executors for you. If there is a possibility of a trust being created in the Will, then you will also need to appoint […]

Resolve to make this Resolution in 2019…

I don’t know if you’re the type of person who makes New Year’s Resolutions (or if you’ve already broken them by now!) but even if you’re not there is one you should consider making for 2019 – getting your estate in order. If you don’t have a Will or if yours is out of date […]

Lasting Powers of Attorney – What you need to know

I have been advising clients on Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA’s) for 8 years and many clients have the same questions and concerns. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions: What is an LPA? An LPA provides powers while you are living, it is a document which gives powers to your attorney(s) to […]

Peace of Mind

Many clients ask me about the advantages of making their Wills with me. As a member of the Society of Will Writers, I can offer my clients security about the advice they are given, and about how I handle their personal information. I am proud to be able to use the Society of Will Writers’ […]

Digital Assets

When planning their estate most people only consider their physical, tangible assets but in this increasingly digital age it is now advisable to also make allowance for your digital assets once you have passed. What are digital assets? There are 3 types of digital asset: 1. Financial: including online banking, Paypal accounts and online shopping […]

A Lasting Power of Attorney in Action

This week’s blog is a little different.  Instead of focussing on aspects of the law, I am going to share a personal experience I had last week My dad was taken into hospital last week.  Nothing life threatening but still an anxious time for all of us.  He is in his late 70’s and can […]

Eastenders and Succession Planning

Usually at ALH Legal I write my own blogs about topics I think will interest my readers and clients but sometimes I read a blog that perfectly sums up what I’d like to say and this is just one such blog courtesy of the Society of Will Writers. So thank you to the Society of […]

Yabba-Dabba-Doo! Why make a Lasting Power of Attorney

Did you ever wonder what would have happened to Wilma and Pebbles if Fred had got hit on the head by a wayward dinosaur or a falling rock and lost capacity? A lot of people believe that as his spouse Wilma would automatically have control of finances or decisions- especially if a joint bank account […]

There’s no such thing as average…

As a co-habiting couple, you inherit nothing from each other without a WilI… In the UK there is no such thing as an average family. The 2.4 nuclear idea is no longer the norm and statistically there are more than 6 million co-habiting couples, with 42% of marriages ending in divorce and 2nd and 3rd marriage becoming […]

In consideration of looking after your Will

Congratulations! You have planned your estate and written your Will, so where should you keep it? Most people will just file the documents away and hope that a) someone will find them on the occasion of their death and that b) they are not lost in a fire/flood. To ensure the safety of your documents, […]