Bulletins | March 2, 2016

Wills and Succession: Recent Developments

The law and practice concerning Wills, succession and inheritance tax is ever-changing. Over the past year, we have seen the introduction of the European Succession Regulation affecting Will writing for those with assets in the EU, and legislation introducing a “residence nil-rate band” giving inheritance tax relief for those passing their home to direct descendants. Challenges to Wills are on the rise, as publicised in the recent Ilott v Mitson [2015] judgment, and the prevalence of “DIY” Wills, as an alternative to instructing a solicitor to draft the document and advise on related issues, is arguably one of the reasons for the increase.

In this article first published in the Solicitors Journal Charities & Appeals Supplement (volume 22) Autumn/ Winter 2015 (www.solicitorsjournal.com), and reproduced here with kind permission, Oliver Embley, an associate in the Private Client team at Wedlake Bell, discusses these recent developments and issues.

The Dangers of DIY Wills

For more information on any of the above issues, or to discuss making a Will, please contact Oliver or your usual Wedlake Bell adviser. You can also find further information on making a Will in our bulletin “Why make a Will?