We appreciate that Wills are a personal and highly delicate matter, and not something to become subject to tabloid gossip. However, the Wills of numerous people – from the rich and famous to ordinary members of the public – are now available via the public record and have been subject to public scrutiny and intense interest. The Wills of the rich and famous, including Diana, Princess of Wales, Alan Turing and Winston Churchill, as well as the complicated Wills of ordinary members of the public can all be viewed by the general public.

Ahead of next month's Budget announcement there has been plenty of news surrounding Inheritance Tax (IHT) and how it will affect the British public. However, before any changes are laid out by Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, research carried out by NFU Mutual claims that 3,000 UK families may miss-out on IHT breaks as a result of having already sold their family home.

Two animal charities, Redwings Horse Sanctuary and Chilterns Dog Rescue Society, have successfully overturned a High Court decision in a landmark legal case impacting on the use of ‘death bed gifts’.

We recently came across a news article that highlights the importance of seeking trusted, professional advice when it comes to having your Will written. Samuel Eaton posed as a Wills specialist and salesman but has been jailed for swindling vulnerable pensioners out of their cash by selling them fake legal documents and trust deeds. Eaton did this while trading under the guise of The Pensioners' Association and The Senior Citizens' Advice Centre, while his promotional leaflets and business cards implied that he was also connected to the charities Age UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and Sense. During one of his visits, he also played a DVD of a BBC documentary related to Wills and trusts to further convince his victims to part with their cash and add gravitas to his operation. Judge Alan Conrad, QC, commented that Eaton had taken time to choose his specific victims carefully and that he was guilty of "serious offences involving a number of different victims, some particularly vulnerable." The local authorities were alerted to Eaton's acts when the son of one of his victims contacted them after both he and his parents handed over £1,100. When examined, the documents created by Eaton were discovered to be inconsistent, ambiguous and full of errors. Eaton has been sentenced to eight months in jail and has also been fined £3,950. David Birrell, representing the prosecution, said: "It is clear that each of his victims believed that his operations were charitable, rather than commercial ventures. There was a lack of professional diligence on the part of the defendant." Kings Court Trust always recommends that individuals seek professional advice when it comes to preparing your Will, ideally from a firm that is a member of a reputable professional body such as the Institute of Professional Willwriters (IPW). In doing so, you can be confident that you are dealing with a firm that abides by a code of conduct and ethics when dealing with customers. For more information, visit www.ipw.org.uk.

Everybody loves a Disney classic, so we couldn't resist sharing this modern day take on Cinderalla and her wicked sisters. Recent media coverage highlighted how Sasha Cochrane was left without access to her father's £121,000 inheritance after her older half-sisters kept the money for themselves.

Each May, the Dying Matters coalition runs its annual awareness week (www.dyingmatters.org/YODO) to raise the public’s understanding of why planning for the end of your life is so important. There are a huge number of events and online activities taking place throughout the week which are designed to get the public talking about death – which is seemingly still one of the most taboo subjects to discuss!

The nature of estate and legacy planning is changing in the modern world at a fairly rapid pace. With new technology, changing economic circumstances and a shifting legal landscape, we've noticed that individuals are having to come up with ever more inventive ways of efficiently managing their estate and inheritance.

According to the Professional Pensions website, more than 25% of Brits think people should spend all their money during their retirement years, meaning their children and future generations will have to fend for themselves.

We came across this piece of news recently in the Lincolnshire Echo, but whilst this is a regional story the topic is one of national importance. The article tackles unregulated probate providers and how they may target and take advantage of elderly individuals through practices such as cold-calling.