An article that was published on the Financial Times Advisor website earlier this month reports that the British public are not taking adequate steps to secure and protect their legacy.

An interesting article in The Telegraph recently discussed new legislation which will potentially give Britons with a European holiday home more freedom in terms of how these assets are recorded in their Will.

Another day and another inheritance scandal, it seems. The latest article featured in The Courier detailed how an unemployed man managed to hide thousands of pounds from the government in order to claim benefits illegally.

With recent research suggesting that half of the British public don’t have a Will, there is no doubt that many of us need to consider formally writing down our wishes on how our estate will be dealt with upon our death. However, it is important to remember that while a cheap DIY kit or some scribbled notes could be legally binding, a Will that isn’t professionally drafted substantially increases the chances of it causing problems after your death.

Barclays are being sued for hundreds of thousands of pounds by a woman who claims the bank’s Will writing service resulted in her losing a stake in her late father’s London home. Although the bank is contesting the reports, Telegraph Money have revealed that when the complaint was assessed by the Financial Ombudsman Service, the bank was found at fault so the complaint has been progressed to the High Court.

We appreciate that Wills are a personal and highly delicate matter, and not something to become subject to tabloid gossip. However, the Wills of numerous people – from the rich and famous to ordinary members of the public – are now available via the public record and have been subject to public scrutiny and intense interest. The Wills of the rich and famous, including Diana, Princess of Wales, Alan Turing and Winston Churchill, as well as the complicated Wills of ordinary members of the public can all be viewed by the general public.

Ahead of next month's Budget announcement there has been plenty of news surrounding Inheritance Tax (IHT) and how it will affect the British public. However, before any changes are laid out by Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, research carried out by NFU Mutual claims that 3,000 UK families may miss-out on IHT breaks as a result of having already sold their family home.

Two animal charities, Redwings Horse Sanctuary and Chilterns Dog Rescue Society, have successfully overturned a High Court decision in a landmark legal case impacting on the use of ‘death bed gifts’.

We recently came across a news article that highlights the importance of seeking trusted, professional advice when it comes to having your Will written. Samuel Eaton posed as a Wills specialist and salesman but has been jailed for swindling vulnerable pensioners out of their cash by selling them fake legal documents and trust deeds. Eaton did this while trading under the guise of The Pensioners' Association and The Senior Citizens' Advice Centre, while his promotional leaflets and business cards implied that he was also connected to the charities Age UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and Sense. During one of his visits, he also played a DVD of a BBC documentary related to Wills and trusts to further convince his victims to part with their cash and add gravitas to his operation. Judge Alan Conrad, QC, commented that Eaton had taken time to choose his specific victims carefully and that he was guilty of "serious offences involving a number of different victims, some particularly vulnerable." The local authorities were alerted to Eaton's acts when the son of one of his victims contacted them after both he and his parents handed over £1,100. When examined, the documents created by Eaton were discovered to be inconsistent, ambiguous and full of errors. Eaton has been sentenced to eight months in jail and has also been fined £3,950. David Birrell, representing the prosecution, said: "It is clear that each of his victims believed that his operations were charitable, rather than commercial ventures. There was a lack of professional diligence on the part of the defendant." Kings Court Trust always recommends that individuals seek professional advice when it comes to preparing your Will, ideally from a firm that is a member of a reputable professional body such as the Institute of Professional Willwriters (IPW). In doing so, you can be confident that you are dealing with a firm that abides by a code of conduct and ethics when dealing with customers. For more information, visit www.ipw.org.uk.