What Happens if You Die Without Making a Will? If you are married or in a civil partnership… If you die without making a will, the Government decides who will inherit your assets. Very strict legal rules (known as the intestacy rules) come into effect. These rules set out how your estate will be distributed. For example, if you die leaving your spouse or civil partner, based on those strict rules, they will not automatically receive your assets. They will…

Whilst watching the BBC’s latest underwater thriller ‘Vigil’ an important point raised its head, which would have been missed by many, or at most a tear would have been shed for the main character’s heartbreak.
In case you missed it (and this is not a spoiler alert), the main character lost her partner of many years, which was sad in itself, however, at that point she also lost the daughter she had raised and called her own. The…

The economic downturn caused by the pandemic has certain advantages that you may wish to consider now. Are you thinking about assisting a family member who has lost their job and is currently experiencing financial difficulty? Gifting money to family members would not give rise to Capital Gains Tax (‘CGT’), but it may assist your Inheritance Tax (‘IHT’) position.
Each of us is given a threshold of £325,000 (known as the nil rate band) whereby our estate has no IHT liability. Any gifts…

If you don’t have a Will, this is the right time to make one. The current crisis is the perfect time to consider what will happen to your estate on your death. Quite often, making a Will finds itself at the bottom of the to-do list.
There are a number of reasons why you may be reluctant to make a Will. Some people tend to think that it is a complicated task, or they simply do not want…

A Will is one of the most important documents that you will make in your life. The risk of having a Will that includes unclear terms, unnecessary errors or one that does not comply with formal statutory requirements, or one that fails to dispose of all the Testator’s assets could be quite detrimental for the family.
A Will should not only take into account your current financial or family circumstances but should account for changes that may arise in the future…

Taking advantage of a person’s vulnerability is never seen as a good thing or an attribute to be admired, however there are those in the legal industry perpetuating the stereotype that they are out to gain an advantage through another’s suffering.
One does not expect to visit a solicitor’s office, following the death of a loved one to collect the Will, to find marketing material included with their documents. This is what happened to one our clients recently, and here at…

With the current Covid-19 situation, understandably more and more people are thinking proactively about getting their affairs in order, and perhaps making a will is one of those things that once was something to think about in the future, but is now becoming a “must do”.
However, there are strict guidelines and rules about the creation and execution of a will, so is this possible during lockdown?
Usually, if a solicitor is preparing your will, they would prefer to see…

Grand Exits
Succession Planning for Beginners
What would happen to your business if you were no longer there to do what you do? If that’s a question that’s sitting on your backburner, or hasn’t even yet occurred to you, I’d like to encourage you to bring it to the boil – like right NOW.
Think differently, think now
For business owners, succession planning is not just about ensuring that your business is able to continue after you leave, it’s very much…

Lasting Power of Attorney
What it is, why you need it and how to get it right.
Need this in print? Download a pdf of Tiger Law's Guide to Lasting Power of Attorney
We’ll start this by wishing you a long, happy and healthy life. But…may we be blunt? None of us is invincible and sometimes bad stuff happens when you least expect it. It happens to us and it happens to people we care about. It happens to…

Intestacy
What happens if you die without a will?
Writing a will is a job that a lot of us put off. It’s a boring task, and there’s no rush, right? No-one likes to think about leaving their loved ones behind, let alone dividing prized possessions and hard-earned funds between them.
You are not alone if you are putting it off – thousands of people die each year without having put their affairs in order. It’s natural to think that…