HMRC has issued updated guidance reminding tax agents that estates cannot move between informal reporting and complex estate reporting once they have been registered for Self Assessment during the same administration period. Where an estate initially qualifies for informal reporting but later becomes more complex, agents must register it for Self Assessment through the Trust...
New figures show that disputes relating to wills and estates remain at historically high levels. During 2025, the England and Wales High Court heard 126 contested probate cases, matching the elevated levels recorded in the previous year. Data obtained by law firm Irwin Mitchell also revealed that probate caveat applications reached 11,328 in 2025, representing...
The England and Wales High Court has ruled that informal digital communications are insufficient to prove the transfer of a beneficial interest in property. In a bankruptcy-related dispute, the court rejected claims that ownership had passed via WhatsApp and email messages prior to insolvency. As a result, the financier’s former spouse was ordered to vacate...
The England and Wales High Court has ruled on how an estate administrator should proceed where a beneficiary refuses to engage. The case involved a residual estate valued at £185,000, with the court deciding that the beneficiary’s lack of response did not amount to a disclaimer of entitlement. Instead, the court issued a Re Benjamin...
The Law Society of England and Wales (the Law Society) has asked the government to amend the legislation on making wills without further delay, six months after publication of the Law Commission of England and Wales’ report Modernising Wills Law. ‘There has been no movement from the government on updating this crucial law’, says the...
Inheritance tax 2025 remains a significant concern for many families in the UK. It is a tax on the estate (property, money, and possessions) of someone who has passed away. As property values continue to rise, more estates are being caught in the inheritance tax net. Knowing the rules and exemptions can help families plan...
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Copyright by CareAccountancy. All rights reserved.
