The 14th of May this year has seen the Inheritance and Trustees Powers Act 2014 (ITPA 2014) receive Royal assent meaning that, as of the commencement date of 1 October 2014, significant changes to the intestacy procedures, rules regarding claims against an estate and certain powers of Trustees will come into practice. ITPA 2014 amends already existing legislation, namely:

Hugh Lowther, the eldest son of the seventh Earl of Lonsdale, has been left with no other option but to sell his family's mountain in the English Lake District to cover Inheritance Tax (IHT) liabilities on his late father's estate. The decision of the new earl has brought much attention as the sale of Saddleback Fell is probably the first property divestment of its kind, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) reports.

Kings Court Trust (KCT) recently hosted free CPD seminars for our colleagues in Newcastle, Crawley and Cambridgeshire areas.

The Centre for Death & Society (CDAS) was established in September 2005 and is based at the University of Bath, just up the hill from the Kings Court Trust (KCT) office. CDAS conducts internationally recognised research on the social aspects of death,dying, and bereavement and has a broad community of members and doctoral candidates.

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) has published an analysis of inheritance patterns in the UK.

Kings Court Trust (KCT) was delighted to welcome so many of its existing partners as well as new faces to seminars held this October in Newbury, Haydock and Coventry.

Day of the Dead or Día de Muertos is a Mexican holiday that takes place over two days on 1st and 2nd November. So, whilst many Halloween celebrations are finishing on 31st October, the Day of the Dead is just beginning.

Laura McDermott, Senior Case Manager at Kings Court Trust, explains the impact of legal aid funding cuts on claims against estates and what you, as a Will writing professional, can do in order to minimise the risks for your clients.

Did you know that on average a deceased person will continue to receive 80 items of direct mail during the year following their death?