We're delighted that our Legal Services Director, Charlotte Toogood, recently joined the latest episode of the Today's Wills and Probate podcast, "Shared experience; insight and best practice in estate administration", as a special guest. Charlotte has over 16 years of experience working within estate administration and is a qualified solicitor and STEP qualified practitioner. Her role at Kings Court Trust involves using her specialised knowledge on both simple and complex cases, to provide technical support and skills training to our Case Managers and their teams. Throughout the episode, Charlotte imparts her experience on a wide variety of subjects, and reflects on how both client's and practitioner's needs have changed over the years.

When a Testator creates a Will, whether through a professional Will Writer or by preparing it themselves, they carefully decide on the gifts they wish to leave to their loved ones. However, if an abatement occurs, these gifts may not be fully distributed as intended. Instead, they might need to be used to pay off outstanding debts and expenses.

Inheritance Tax (IHT) is a significant concern for many families in the UK. With frozen thresholds and increasing property values, more estates are subject to this tax. This blog explores the essentials of IHT and offers insights into mitigating its impact. While we are experts in estate administration, we do not provide financial advice. Our goal is to assist your clients with the probate process and support partners in delivering comprehensive estate planning services.

The fee for applying for a Grant of Probate in England and Wales is set to rise in May 2024. Currently, it costs £273 per application as per The Non-Contentious Probate Fees Order 2004. The proposed new rate is £300. This will apply to all estates valued over £5,000; estates under this threshold do not have to pay a fee.

According to data from the Ministry of Justice, Will disputes are on the rise.

Throughout 2023, there were a number of legal industry updates and news stories that affected the Wills and probate sector. We’ve summarised some of the key changes and the ongoing discussions that could affect professionals and their clients in 2024.

As Inheritance Tax (IHT) interest rates continue to increase, Personal Representatives face additional financial burden when settling a deceased person’s estate. The increased interest rates have been described as a stealth tax, substituting a rise in IHT rates.

Intergenerational wealth transfers, either in the form of inheritance after death or via gift transfers, are continually increasing.

This year has provided a lot of challenges and changes, both in general and within the probate and estate administration industry. This blog will summarise some of the key industry stories and updates that have been in the news in 2022.