Essential Guide to Making a Will and Power of Attorney
Making a Will is crucial to ensure that you are able to decide who your assets will go to once you die. It is also recommended to have a Power of Attorney, and both of these can be drafted at the same time. A Power of Attorney appoints a person or people who are able […]
Blood is Thicker than Water
It is the staple of many a Hollywood film: The family gathered expectantly around the fire after a funeral to hear some dusty old lawyer read from an equally dusty last will and testament , only to be shocked to learn that the Late Earl has left everything to the local stamp collecting society leaving […]
‘Killer’ Loophole Closed – The Effect of The Trust and Succession (Scotland) Bill
Introduction In a bid to modernise the law on Trusts, Succession and Executors, MSPs unanimously voted to the pass the Trust and Succession (Scotland) Bill on 20th December which prevents killers from acting as an executor in their victim’s estate. The Case that Inspired Change In 2014, Carol Taggart was tragically murdered by her son. […]
Legal Rights and Why You Can’t Disinherit a Child in Scotland
In a recent Canadian case (Pascuzzi v Pascuzzi), a father excluded his daughter from a previous marriage in his Will and left his entire estate to his new wife. After his child raised a court action, the Court intervened to vary his Will and awarded the child 30% of his million dollar estate. If this […]
Organ Donation – what does the law in Scotland say?
Organ Donation Week ran from 19th to 26th September this year with the objective of raising awareness surrounding organ donation and transplantation, but what does the law in Scotland say on this topic? The Legal Position The Human Tissue (Authorisation) (Scotland) Act 2019 came into effect on 26th March 2021 and brought Scotland’s position […]
Save the Date: The Upcoming Deadline for Registering Trusts with HMRC
The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information of the Payer) Regulations 2017 introduced a requirement that trustees of trusts which have a tax liability (such as Inheritance Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Land and Buildings Transaction Tax etc) register specific information about their trust with HMRC – e.g. the names and dates […]