22 December 2011 | Iain Donaldson |
In a report published on 14 December 2011, the Law Commission has put forward its recommendations to reform the intestacy rules and the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
When...
Tags on this discussion: and Trustees' Powers Bill and the draft Inheritance (Cohabitants) Bill inheritance Inheritance (Cohabitants) Bill Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 intestacy intestate Law Commission Probate Trusts Wills
19 December 2011 | Michael Oberwarth
The Charities Act 2011 received Royal Assent on 14 December 2011 and will come into force on 13 March 2012.
This new Act repeals and consolidates all charity legislation: the Recreational Charities...
Tags on this discussion: charities Charities Act 2006 Charities Act 2011 Lord Hodgson third sector
28 November 2011 | Iain Donaldson
The Government has set out its plans for the reform of income tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs.)
In March 2011, the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) published its interim report on the...
Tags on this discussion: Employees Employers HM Revenue & Customs HMRC Income Tax National Insurance NIC office of tax simplification OTS tax Taxation
19 July 2011 | Iain Donaldson
On 12 July 2011, the Estates of Deceased Persons (Forfeiture Rule and Law of Succession) Act 2011 received Royal Assent.
The Bill was introduced into Parliament as a Private Members' Bill, so its passage...
Tags on this discussion: disclaim Estates of Deceased Persons (Forfeiture Rule and Law of Succession) Act forfeiture grandparents HMRC inheritance intestacy law Law Commission murder Probate succession tax Taxation
22 June 2011 | Shimon Shaw
For deaths on or after 6 April 2012, estates that include charitable legacies of at least 10% of the net estate will benefit from a 36% inheritance tax (IHT) rate.
The key points are as follows:
The...
Tags on this discussion: charities charity deeds deeds of variation HMRC IHT Inheritance Tax tax Tax Planning Taxation Wills
28 March 2011 | Shimon Shaw
One of the skills that a Chancellor needs is sleight of hand. One of the skills needed by Budget commentators and observers is cynicism.
For example, as is fairly well known by now, there was a...
Tags on this discussion: budget 2011 HMRC tax Tax Planning Taxation
21 January 2011 | Iain Donaldson
Back in October 2010, I wrote that the Legal Services Consumer Panel (LSCP) had asked members of the public, lawyers and other interested parties to give their opinions on the will-writing industry.
The...
Tags on this discussion: Legal Services Consumer Panel Probate regulation tax Trusts will writers Wills
24 November 2010 | Iain Donaldson
Newly-published research by health care analysts Laing & Buisson and the House of Commons Library has revealed that thousands of pensioners are being forced to sell their homes in order to pay residential...
Tags on this discussion: Probate Tax Planning Trusts Wills
19 October 2010 | James Odds
Research carried out by NSM Research on behalf of Yours magazine has concluded that the average cost of being a grandparent (over the first 18 years of their grandchild’s life) is £50,252. If the...
Tags on this discussion: grandparents HMRC tax Tax Planning Taxation Trusts Wills
18 October 2010 | Shimon Shaw
Anyone sending in their 2009/10 Self Assessment return on paper has just a few days left to file their return by the 31 October paper-filing deadline.
If you miss the deadline it could be costly, as...
Tags on this discussion: HMRC self assessment tax tax returns Taxation
Iain Donaldson 
