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Your Guide to the Trust Registration Service: Key Questions Answered

In our latest blog series our specialist Trusts Team aim to cover some of the most common issues when navigating the administration of Trusts, with...

“Administration is eternal, forever and ever, Amen” - Removing an Executor

Whilst Sir Humphrey Appleby is, no doubt, right about the business of government being an eternal process (something we have perhaps all been...

The Autumn Budget Announcement: What does it mean for your succession planning?

Following yesterday’s announcement from Rachel Reeves, change is coming for the way that agricultural businesses and estates need to plan for the...

Putting a Caveat on progress…

With the Ministry of Justice reporting that the number of Caveat applications made in England and Wales passed the 10,000 mark in 2023, it is clear...

What is deliberate deprivation of assets/capital?

Deliberate deprivation of assets is where you have intentionally decreased your overall assets, or the assets of a person that you are acting for...

Surrendering a Life Interest – Inheritance Tax Consequences

If you create a life interest trust in your will (known as a qualifying interest in possession trust (IIP)), the assets are held by the trustees...

Porter Dodson retain ranking in the latest High Net Worth Guide 2024

Porter Dodson is thrilled to have been recognised in the recently released Chambers and Partners High Net Worth guide. The guide differentiates the...

Vulnerable Beneficiaries

In our latest blog series our specialist Trusts Team aim to cover some of the most common issues when navigating the administration of Trusts, with...

Ways To Challenge a Will - Lack of Testamentary Capacity

A Will is invalid if at the time it is executed the person making it (‘the testator’):

Standish v Standish – Nuance in The Deemed Divorce Cross-check in Inheritance Act Claims

The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 When somebody dies and ‘reasonable financial provision’ is not made for their...

Nil Rate Band Discretionary (“NRB”) Trusts

In our latest blog series our specialist Trusts Team aim to cover some of the most common issues when navigating the administration of Trusts. This...

Ways To Challenge a Will - Want of Knowledge and Approval, Rectification and Professional Negligence

A Will is invalid if at the time it is executed the person making it (‘the testator’) does not know: that they are making a Will; or that it will...

What are Asset Protection Trusts?

In our latest blog series our specialist Trusts Team aim to cover some of the most common issues when navigating the administration of Trusts. This...

Lost Wills: What are the consequences and what can be done?

Inevitably, the process of administering a person’s estate starts very soon after their death. One of the first steps in that process is finding the...

Court finds seven Charitable Gifts as valid Dryden v Young & Others (2024)

Charitable Gifts in Wills Many people look to make provision in their Wills for Charity, for a variety of reasons. Some may wish to benefit a...

Heyes v Holt – Weak Claims, Summary Judgment and Quasi-Security for costs in the alternative

Many probate disputes are genuine. However, quite a lot of claims are weak, and are pursued in the belief that the defendant is bound to settle if...

What happens when Trustees lose mental capacity?

In our latest blog series our specialist Trusts Team aim to cover some of the most common issues when navigating the administration of Trusts. We are...

Marriage vs. Cohabitation: Navigating financial and legal complexities in modern relationships

The Office of National Statistics has recently announced that the number of people who are married or in a formal civil partnership has fallen, for...

Have you thought about succession planning?

Spring is in the air, Autumn crops are enjoying a respite from the rain, lambing is well under way and the ground is now being prepared for sowing...

Estate Administration Disputes (Testate Estates)

Disputes between Executors and the Beneficiaries of Estates have become much more common in recent years. Often, the dispute has its origins in both...

Porter Dodson welcomes two new Partners to strengthen Private Client team

Southwest based law firm, Porter Dodson, is pleased to announce the addition of Ben Simpson and Chris Dickinson as Partners, further enhancing their...

Do I need a Lasting Power of Attorney?

In her latest blog, Robyn Greenway, a Senior Legal Advisor in our Private Client Team in Wellington, discusses the ins and outs of Powers of Attorney...

Claims Under The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975

‘As I was banished, I was banished Hereford. But as I come, I come for...my claim To my inheritance’.

Porter Dodson’s Private Client team welcomes new Partner, Susannah Emson

Porter Dodson is boosting their offering in the Southwest Private Client sector by the appointment of Susannah Emson (formerly Bower) as a Partner...

What is an intestate estate?

Robyn Greenway, a Senior Legal Advisor in our Private Client Team in Wellington often deals with a large number of intestate estates, and knows these...

An inheritance to kill for?

Whilst the volume of Contentious Probate disputes continues to rise exponentially, thankfully most discontented individuals seek remedy and...

Porter Dodson ranked in the 2023 Chambers High Net Worth Guide

Porter Dodson is thrilled to have been recognised in the latest global Chambers and Partners High Net Worth guide. The guide differentiates the best...

3 reasons why you should make a will

It is often not until someone discusses their wishes and affairs that they recognise the importance of a will. We frequently deal with families and...

Porter Dodson announces new Managing Partner

UK Top 200 law firm Porter Dodson, based across Somerset & Dorset, has appointed a new Managing Partner. Kate James takes on the role from Rob Fox,...

Wills witnessed by video link to be made legal

In a controversial announcement made by the Government on 25 July 2020, wills witnessed via video link are to be legalised temporarily. As expected,...

Power of attorney FAQs

We recommend that everyone has a power of attorney in place. It will ensure that your affairs can be managed in the event you do not have capacity to...

Can siblings reduce Inheritance Tax?

The position of siblings under UK Inheritance Tax (IHT) law received further media coverage last week, prompted by the Utley sisters and also by a...

Personal Representative: Will I be personally liable?

It is likely that at some point either you, a family member or a friend will be appointed to act as a Personal Representative of an estate.

Always use professionals when choosing a Power of Attorney

Elderly Theft: Robbing the Relatives, which was broadcast on ITV1 on Thursday 30th November, certainly sets out in no uncertain terms the devastating...

Is having a Power of Attorney a risk?

A retired senior judge, Mr Lush, has commented today warning about the risks of Powers of Attorney. Whilst his warnings are valid, the concern is...

Inheritance tax – will your family qualify?

Next month (April 2017) sees the introduction of a new inheritance tax allowance that is going to significantly improve the tax position of many...

Family successfully challenged validity of will

In August 2016, a family won their legal battle to overturn their brother’s will after it was found that the deceased, David Poole, did not know and...

A costly reminder to make sure your affairs are in order

In February 2016, a woman won her legal battle to stop her partner’s share in their property passing to his estranged wife, but the matter did not...

Planning ahead with a Lasting Power of Attorney

Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) are becoming more popular as people plan ahead for a time when they may like or need assistance with their financial...

Changes in the uses of deeds of variation

The Chancellor announced during the recent Budget that the government will review the uses of deeds of variation as these can currently be used to...

Making provisions in your Will for family heirlooms

Last summer we were fortunate enough to see a wonderful array of family heirlooms when we hosted an antique valuation afternoon tea at Crowcombe...

Worries over wills and concerns over codicils: Should will-writing be regulated?

In October 2014, The Times wrote an article on the subject of unregulated will-writing. It stated that a legal watchdog report warned that tens of...

Improved intestacy rules?

Having heard there would be a change to the law on 1st October governing the distribution of a person’s estate when they have died without a valid...

Support a charity in your Will

With three-quarters of the UK population supporting charities over their lifetime, it’s easy to remember that there is a big difference between...

Modern Will planning for the modern family

Making a Will has never been more important. The “traditional” family unit of Mum, Dad and 2.4 children is now merely one of the myriad of family set...

Think you can do what you like in your Will? Think Again!

When thinking of making a Will, most of my clients assume that they can leave their estate to whomever they please and in any fashion they like....

Leaving money to charities in your Will not only benefits the charity

Making a Will is an important part of planning for the future and, for most, is hugely important in ensuring that their family and friends are...

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