Inheritance: how changes to the intestacy rules may affect you

[Michael Browne]

From 1 October, changes to the intestacy rules will mean spouses and civil partners will receive more if their partner dies without a will. The rules changes won't affect people who die with less than £250,000 in assets. The rules of intestacy set out who is entitled to inherit if a person dies without leaving a valid will.

 

 

The main changes are:

 

• if a spouse or civil partner dies intestate and there are no surviving children, the remaining partner will inherit the whole estate
  
• if a spouse or civil partner dies intestate and there are surviving children, the remaining partner will inherit £250,000, all the personal property and half of the rest of the estate. The children then get the remaining half share on trust until they reach the age of 18.
  

 

• More about the intestacy rules
  

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/news/whats_new_sep14_inheritance__how_changes_to_the_intestacy_rules_may_affect_you.htm

 

 

Inheritance law changes come into force

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29436533

 

 

Help yourself and charity each November

 

Having your Will written professionally can give you great peace of mind.

 

In November, you can use a local solicitor who has signed up to Will Aid and you can enjoy the added feel-good factor of supporting nine leading UK charities.

 

Instead of paying your solicitor’s fee, you will be invited to make a donation to charity. The suggested voluntary donation is £95 for a basic Will or £150 for a pair of basic mirror Wills. The next campaign will be in November 2014

http://www.willaid.org.uk/will-makers

[miss trollope]

This is so sad. My former husband died suddenly aged 51 without making a will so his new wife could get almost everything when she never worked or made any financial contribution to the estate. My children are now without a father and yet she'll probably be married again in a couple of years, isn't it about time the law was updated to take into account that the wife (or husband) will, about 50% of the time, not be the parent of the deceased's children?

 

I hope that more publicity is made about this so people realise the importance of making a will.