Yet another headline this week concerning a litigated inheritance dispute. Undue Influence is one of the most difficult challenges to bring when disputing a Will. By its very nature it occurs behind closed doors and therefore it is notoriously difficult to prove. In a rare turn of events, the court were referred to a transcript […]
Category: Wills, Probate, Trusts & Inheritance
After a 66 year marriage, a woman whose husband’s will left everything to their two sons (to “prioritise the male line”) and leaving no provision for her or their four daughters, has been awarded a 50% share of his almost £2m estate by the High Court. It was clear that “reasonable provision” had not been […]
It has been reported that a record 16% of death Wills processed by Smee & Ford in 2022 included a charitable legacy. This totalled a staggering £21.3 billion by the end of 2022. Many charities depend on legacies and it is good to see that these are continuing post pandemic, and despite the economic uncertainty.
Interesting article in Today’s Wills & Probate regarding access to a deceased’s digital assets. Apple devices with the latest update can now add a Legacy Contact. Apple say is “the easiest, most secure way to give someone you trust access to the data stored in your Apple account after your death”. When an individual registers […]

This week is Update Your Will Week (23rd-29th January 2023), an awareness campaign hosted by Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE) to encourage more people to update their Will and ensure their wishes are carried out when they die. This helps minimise disputes over inheritance – easing distress (and costs) for your loved ones. Accredited members […]
Louise Reeves was accused by her brother of bullying their father into changing his will to cut him out. The Court agreed and in January this year, Mr Justice Michael Green rejected the claim that Louise had bullied her father, but said she had ‘pulled the wool over his eyes’ so he did not understand […]
This is going to be an absolutely fascinating case when it is heard next year. An astronomer has left his £400,000 to his “best mate”, by way of his deathbed will, dictated to his friend from his hospital bed, whilst also suffering from dementia. The beneficiaries of the earlier will, the British Astronomical Association, are […]

We’ve answered some of the most common questions people have about making and updating a Will. If you have a question we haven’t covered here, do not hesitate to get in touch with our Wills team – we’d be happy to help. What happens if you die without leaving a Will? If you die without […]

A large proportion of the population have no Will. Many people either just don’t want to think about the possibility of their own death, or assume that if they die their estate will go to the people they want. Unfortunately in many cases it won’t and your estate could end up going to people you […]
A long-awaited decision was announced yesterday in the Supreme Court, on the very thorny issue of family inheritance disputes. In this case a son who had worked for over 30 years on his parents farm, largely unpaid, had a fall-out with them, leading them to cut him out of their will and leave their estate […]