The Kings Court Trust Blog

Disputes over inheritance have soared in recent years, with the number of cases reaching the England and Wales High Court increasing dramatically during the last decade. According to Direct Line Life Insurance, 12.6 million British adults would be prepared to dispute a Will and go to court if they disagreed with the division of their relative’s estate.

It’s no secret that mistakes, misconceptions and unfortunate circumstances occur when people make (or fail to make) arrangements for their estate. However, these errors become amplified when they are made by famous people. As human beings, we are curious by nature and our curiosity often piques when we get a glimpse into the lives of individuals with assets most of us can only dream of and the public battles that may ensue among the deceased’s heirs. Regardless of value and status, there are notable lessons that celebrity deaths have taught us about planning our legacy. Let’s take a look at four celebrities that have passed away, leaving behind lessons we can all learn from.  

On the 24th of July 2019, Boris Johnson became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, taking on the task of completing Brexit from Theresa May. After months of turbulent deliberations and a general election, the UK will formally leave the European Union (EU) at 11:00PM on the 31st of January. This blog explores the questions raised about the impact of Brexit on the estate administration process and professionals within the industry.

It’s now official – heterosexual couples in England and Wales can formalise their relationship with a civil partnership rather than marriage. Civil partnerships were first introduced through the Civil Partnerships Act 2004 and was only available to same-sex couples . As of the 31st of December 2019, mixed-sex couples have been able to form this union. The amendment to the Act was made as a result of a Supreme Court ruling which confirmed that the Civil Partnerships Act 2004 was incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

It’s a new year and a new decade – Welcome to 2020! This time of year can trigger many feelings – optimism, reflection, uncertainty or all of the above. As we think back to some of the hot topics we followed throughout the year, we realise many are still relevant as we step into the new year.

Over the past year, we’ve monitored several news headlines and developments that have impacted the estate administration industry, including the probate application delays, the rising cost of death, and everyone’s favourite topic, Brexit.

Death still remains to be a taboo subject and people avoid talking about it. Whether that’s discussing what they want to happen when they die with their family, or speaking to a professional (such as a Financial Adviser or Will Writer) about plans to protect their legacy when the time comes. People typically still find talking about death uncomfortable and struggle to bring it up as a topic of conversation. Almost 60% of people do not have a Will in place, which makes you wonder whether that is due to this stigma surrounding death.

The deadline has now passed for individuals, including Executors and Administrators of estates, to reclaim Payment Protection Insurance (PPI). In order to claim money back for PPI, complaints needed to be submitted to the providers or Financial Ombudsman Service by the 29th of August 2019. Financial institutions had set aside money to cover the billions of pounds that remained unclaimed.

The importance of creating a valid Will has been a popular topic of conversation recently. After details of George Michael’s Will came to light, some popular TV and radio shows including Loose Women, This Morning and The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, took the opportunity to discuss the topic.