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Tag Archives: Scottish Wills

Wills, Divorce and Separation in Scotland – Think Ahead!

Two painted arrows on a road pointing towards a grassy mountain

When a relationship breaks down the focus is usually on immediate worries, such as the arrangements for the children, the household bills and the family home.  Although it is necessary to get advice about such matters, it is equally important to think not just about the past, the present and the immediate future, but also

Dying Without a Will in Scotland – what the legal changes mean

Hispanic Man, Woman and Child having fun in the park.

On 1st February 2012 changes to the succession thresholds came into force. The new rules increase the maximum property and cash values which can be transferred to a surviving spouse or civil partner where a person dies without a Will in Scotland. They also increase the threshold for small estates (where a Sheriff Clerk can

When is a gift not a gift? Ensure you put it in writing!

when is a gift not a gift

Ordinarily gifts are handed over, thanks are expressed, and the parties move on with no further thought to any legal implications. But what if that ‘present’ is a large cheque or valuable item? Is it a gift or a loan? It depends on the circumstances and the relationship between the donor and donee. A recent

Does your Will include a Legacy to Charity?

Legacy to Charity

 Facts To Consider Around 80% of us support charities during our lifetime. 35% us want to leave the bulk of our estate to loved ones but like the idea of giving something back by way of donation on death to charities that we consider worthy of support. Surveys indicate less than 10% of the population

Protecting Beneficiaries Through Disabled Person’s Trusts

Disabled Persons Trust

Providing for a disabled loved one following your death is not always straightforward – you want them to have enough money to be comfortable but don’t want to affect their entitlement to state benefits, many of which are means tested. One of the most effective ways of providing for a disabled beneficiary is a trust

Ten Tips for Choosing the Trustees and Executors of your Will

Trustees & Executors for your Will

The person or people appointed by you to administer your estate when you die are required to fulfil their role of ingathering your estate by: • paying off debts and expenses (from your funds, not theirs!) • distributing the estate in accordance with your Will or, if no Will, in terms of the laws of intestate succession.

Dying Without a Will in Scotland – Time for Legal Reform?

Society and family structures have changed considerably since the current law on succession came into force in 1964 and there is widespread support for the law to be updated to reflect this. Current Rules Where a person dies without a Will (intestate) his spouse/civil partner has prior rights to his estate:- Deceased’s share in the

Scottish Wills – Can you Afford Not To?

‘Where there’s a wedding there’s a Will’………….or not!   The recent wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton may have had you oohing and aahing at the pomp and circumstance but did it make you think carefully about the legal implications of marriage and what it means for the succession to your estate never mind the

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