You should review your will regularly. A good rule of thumb is every time there is a significant change in your circumstances or every five years. This does not necessarily mean your will needs to be amended with each change of circumstances, but you should at least make sure it continues to reflect your wishes.

Although it is important to maintain an up-to-date will, making rash changes during a time of distress is ill-advised.If you are unsure, you should seek advice about whether your will needs updating.

Go to our Wills, Trusts & Probate page or read the blog here.

Making gifts during your lifetime does not necessarily escape inheritance tax. If you make a gift and you do not survive for seven years, the gift is still considered part of your estate when you die.

You should also carefully consider your own needs before gifting money. Once you part with an asset, you also part with all rights to it. The only way this can be reversed is if the person receiving the gift to chooses to return it. Before making any gift, you should always seek advice.

Go to our Wills, Trusts & Probate page or read the blog here.

Without authority, you cannot access another person’s bank account. Authority might be as simple as putting something in place with one specific bank, or it could mean your relative granting a power of attorney.

A property and financial affairs lasting power of attorney will grant authority to deal with financial affairs, including day-to-day banking. The process is, however, rather lengthy, as lasting powers of attorney must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian. If your relative has capacity and only requires your help during this specific time, a general power of attorney may be more appropriate, though a general power of attorney does have limits. Your relative should seek advice on the best solution for them before signing any legal document.

Go to our Wills, Trusts & Probate page or read the blog here.

Smaller businesses (employing less than 250 people) will be able to claim back the first 14 days’ SSP from HMRC. The regulations have not yet been published but this should apply retrospectively from 13 March 2020.end.

Go to our Employment Law page or read the blog here.

A Lawyer is anyone who practices law, as an advocate, Barrister, Solicitor or Chartered Legal Executive. A solicitor is a lawyer who gives legal advice and represents clients in the courts.

Once qualified, solicitors often specialise in one legal area such as family, litigation, property or tax. A lawyer provides the practical application of the legal theories and knowledge required to resolve legal problems, and to advance the interests of clients who require a lawyer to perform legal services.

There are a number of factors to consider.  Firstly, you may want someone who specialises in a particular aspect of the law. You may also wish to consider the proximity of their office to your home.  You may want to use a Solicitor who offers a free initial consultation to discuss your requirements before formally instructing them. Call us on 01245 258 892 to arrange a meeting. If you want to bring someone with you, just let us know. Ask if there is anything in particular you will need to bring or any relevant paperwork so you can cover as much as possible on the day.

We offer a free initial consultation for all of our services so you can meet with a solicitor or specialist with the expertise and experience you need, and who can provide understandable legal advice. Some of our legal services are offered on a fixed fee basis, but for all others, the cost will often be worked out on an hourly rate basis: so the longer it takes, the more it costs. We will give you a cost estimate at the outset, usually at your initial consultation.