The Pitfalls of DIY Wills: Why Seeking Professional Advice Matters
February 12th 2024In a world flooded with advertisements for affordable DIY Wills and packs, the allure of saving money can be tempting. However, the real question is, do these DIY solutions truly save you money? Rebecca Armstrong, Associate Solicitor in our Will Dispute Team, reports on the pitfalls of DIY Wills. The Cheap Appeal The market is awash with ‘premium’ DIY Will packs priced as low as £7.99. Testators simply fill in the…
Concern over rise in predatory marriages that automatically revoke a Will
February 9th 2024Many individuals don’t appreciate that marriage automatically revokes any existing Will. The Law Society has expressed concern about the increasing problem of predatory marriages in which someone marries to exploit their new spouse’s wealth. Rebecca Armstrong, Associate Solicitor, reports. A recent Law Society survey revealed that a significant number of solicitors have encountered clients whom they suspect are in a predatory marriage. There is therefore a growing call for legal reform…
Boy granted £50k from aunt’s estate as she had ‘taken on the role of mother’
November 7th 2022A 12-year-old boy has been granted £50,000 from his late aunt’s estate on the basis that he had been treated as a child of the family. Rebecca Armstrong Associate Solicitor reports on this recent case. The boy was taken in by his aunt shortly after his birth because his mother was unable to care for him herself. The aunt acted as the boy’s main parental figure until her death in 2016. …
Legal ruling has implications for farming inheritance rows
October 26th 2022A LANDMARK legal ruling could have far reaching implications in disputes over the future of family farms. Rebecca Armstrong, a Contentious Trust and Probate Specialist with Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors, said the judgment by the Supreme Court on Wednesday (October 19) would impact farming families who find themselves in legal battles over who will inherit the farm. Rebecca said: “The ruling was unusual in that it offered the parties a choice…
Siblings fail to overturn will involving the care of a parrot
October 6th 2022Three siblings have failed to overturn their stepmother’s will after she left everything to her biological son. Rebecca Armstrong Associate Solicitor in our Will Claims team reports on this recent case. The son claimed that his mother had changed the will after the siblings’ father died so that he could look after her parrot. The case involved 61-year-old Ian McLean and his siblings Sean and Lorraine, and their half-brother, a self-titled “Lord” Brett…
