If you have gone to the trouble of drafting a Will to ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes after you die, then it is important to ensure that the Will is legally valid. A simple mistake can undo your wishes, as happened in this...
The latest UK budget introduced several measures that may significantly impact your estate planning, with implications for Inheritance Tax (IHT), Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and pension transfers. These changes may affect the way you manage your estate, make...
Misuse of company property or assets by majority shareholders or directors is a common cause of concern among minority shareholders. If you are lucky, there will be other minority shareholders who can join you in tackling this problem through your voting...
If you have been caring for someone who has an impairment of their mind or brain and they have trusted you to make decisions on their behalf under a lasting power of attorney, you may be wondering when you can make such decisions for them. Mental illness can...
When you make your Will, you may wonder whether or not you also need to write a letter of wishes. The key distinction is that your will is a legally binding document. While a letter of wishes is not legally binding, it can offer flexibility and...
When you meet that special person, get engaged and start to daydream of your married life ahead, the last thing on your mind is the practical financial arrangements in the event of separation. It might be that you are set to inherit the family business, and...
As an attorney under a financial lasting power of attorney (LPA), you will play an important role in safeguarding the financial interests of a vulnerable individual. Understanding the legal framework, recognising common pitfalls, and implementing...
Delays in the probate system have hit the headlines of late, with bereaved families having to wait many months to obtain a grant of probate – a stark contrast to the 16 weeks the Government says the application should take. Adding to this,...
The latest analysis of Ministry of Justice data shows there’s been a 65% increase in year-long probate cases. The delays continue to cause significant emotional distress and financial losses for families who are already facing a difficult time in...
Buy-to-let properties have become a common feature of many people’s investment portfolio, and so it is becoming increasingly common for executors to have to deal with a rental property in an estate after someone has died. If you have been asked to be...
Whether you have built up a portfolio of assets through business activities, savings and investments, or you have inherited a significant wealth , it is important to plan efficiently in order to minimise tax implications. To make sure your family are...
Inheritance Tax (IHT), the tax levied on the estate (which includes property, money, and possessions) of someone who has passed away, can often be complex to calculate. The rules around spousal exemptions and how the succession laws treat unmarried couples...
Your pets are an important part of your family, but providing for them in your Will is not as straightforward as providing for other family members. Whilst a cat or dog might be relatively easy to care for, pets such as tortoises, llamas, or horses will...
Buying a new-build house comes with its own issues and processes to follow. Here are the answers to questions on buying a new build house and some tips when buying a new build house. I’ve reserved my new property, what do I need to do now? Now that...
Without the correct estate planning, the value of your home could be lost to care home fees in the future. Naturally, people want to protect their assets so that they can pass on the value of these assets to their loved ones on their passing. ...
Divorce and/or separation can be a difficult time for everyone, particularly for children. It can turn their world upside down and often takes time for them to become accustomed to their “new normal”. We can help guide you through in a couple of...
Carrying out the duties of an executor is both a privilege and a burden. You have been tasked with ensuring that someone’s wishes are carried out after their death, and this can often be more complex and take longer than you imagine. Some...
As somebody who both works in Family Law, and is a mother of two boys, I am acutely aware of the importance of educating children on consent and not prescribing to the societal norm of ‘what a man should be like’. My youngest son’s...
When dealing with the administration of an estate, distributing the gifts is one of the final stages. It is important that executors do not make distributions too soon, to protect themselves and the estate against debts or claims. Executors are advised not...
Trusts are typically used to preserve assets for loved ones in private client estate planning, and many trusts are fairly inactive a lot of the time. Often action is only required when the trust is first set up, when assets are distributed, or when the trust...
There is no definitive answer to when is the right time to make a Will, as different people may have different reasons and circumstances to consider. However, some general guidelines are: The best time to create a Will is when you are physically and...
Our Ryedale offices (Malton and Pickering) have chosen to fundraise for Martin House Hospice as their current office chosen charity. Over the coming months, our staff will be taking part in a variety of fundraising activities which we will share updates...
Being an executor is an important role and a serious responsibility. Even a simple estate can be more difficult than many people realise and you should ensure that you understand the role and are willing to take on the responsibility before starting to act. ...
If you are buying or selling property, we are offering discounted legal fees for conveyancing from 1 September to 30 November 2023 for one offer and 1 September to 31 December 2023 for the other offer, as our way of helping given the current financial...
Part of the success of TV shows like the BBC Antiques Roadshow is the thrill when a long-cherished family heirloom turns out to be surprisingly valuable, for example a piece of china that has been on display in the home for many years. Occasionally, a rare...
We are very pleased to be part of and supporting York 50+ Festival 2023. Matthew Railton, at our York office, is providing a legal advice drop-in clinic to take questions about making your Will and Lasting Powers of Attorney. Pre-book your 30 minute...
You may be surprised to hear about which estates have to pay inheritance tax (IHT) on death. Once you have farmed for more than two years, most working farms are able to pass from one generation to the next with no or reduced inheritance...
If you are an attorney for health and welfare decisions (as opposed to financial decisions), it is important to make sure that you are clear about exactly what decision making powers have been granted to you. This will ensure you can work with medical staff...
If you have a child with a disability, you may be concerned about what will happen to them when you are no longer around. Ensuring a child with disabilities is provided for sufficiently in the long term can be tricky to navigate, and it is best to seek...
The role of a deputy is similar to that of an attorney. If you are acting as an attorney, this will be because the person you are acting for specifically chose you to act and they made a document called a ‘power of attorney’ at a time when they...
Emma Silkstone, solicitor in our Private Client team, has been recognised with a national accreditation for her expertise in legal support for older and vulnerable clients, their families and carers. The accreditation is awarded by SFE (Solicitors for the...
We are once again supporting Saint Catherine’s Make a Will Week 17-21 April 2023. We have four solicitors taking part and offering appointments for this Make A Will Week* and we are already taking bookings now to fill up the slots we have available. ...
Gemma Patchett-Thomas, Licensed Conveyancer in our residential property team gives her take on the property market in York. Since 2020 we can all agree that it has been tumultuous for the UK housing market to say the least, with the pandemic boom and then...
A common concern for our clients and their families is the prospect of having to sell the family home in order to meet care costs. There are many articles and schemes online which seem to indicate that selling a home can be avoided, but often these schemes...
All the staff at Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors are committed to delivering our Service Pledge and Client Centred value. Below is a great example of this delivery by Sue Hirst in our residential property team for her client. Great work Sue and we really...
While financial assets can be divided relatively easily when settling an estate, this is not usually possible with heirlooms such as a painting, a piece of furniture or individual pieces of jewellery. Even if items are not valuable, such items may be the...
A will is an important part of everybody’s legal planning no matter your circumstances, but for anyone who is in business a well written will is vital to ensure the minimum disruption after your death. Whether you are a sole practitioner, a partner in...
If you have been asked to act as an attorney for someone you may wonder when it will come into effect, especially if the power of attorney was made some time ago when your friend or relative was in good health. There was an important change in 2007, and so...
Probate is a term which is loosely used to cover the administration of an estate, and it has a reputation for being a lengthy process. The administration includes a number of key stages, including obtaining the grant of probate, paying out to beneficiaries,...
Royalty payments are often earned from creative activities such as writing a book or composing music, but they can also be earned from a patent or brand licensing, or from a franchise or even licensing of mineral rights. While some arrangements may...
The St Leonard’s Hospice Make a Will Month is back for October 2022, giving you the opportunity to have your Will written by a local solicitor in exchange for a donation towards patient care at St Leonard’s Hospice. Making a Will is not...
It is very common these days for parents to support their children in buying their first home and the “bank of Mum and Dad” comes to the rescue. Often this entails children buying a property with a partner or buying a property and having a...
On top of the heartbreak and worry that a diagnosis of a life-limiting illness can cause, there will be a raft of concerns and uncertainties about your care and financial affairs, and it can be difficult to know exactly how to prepare from a legal...
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has recently announced a new, user-friendly website to allow next of kin to claim underpaid state pensions owed to those who have passed away. It follows criticism of the lack of information and guidance given to...
Acting as an executor means that you are responsible for reporting the value of the estate and declaring any inheritance tax due, so it is important to make sure you follow correct procedures. Since January 2022, new rules apply in respect of reporting...
The Government has recently published its white paper, A Fairer Private Rented Sector, which sets out its proposals to reform the private rented sector to improve housing quality and to redress the balance between landlords and tenants. The proposals...
Deciding who should inherit from you in your Will, how much they will get and in what shares, are big decisions to make. This can be made more difficult if you have particular concerns about a beneficiary and whether the inheritance could be at risk. ...
We are pleased to be able to share blogs written by our staff, talking about their job role, working at the firm and career progression at Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors. In this blog by Emma Campbell, Trainee Solicitor at Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors, she...
There are many reasons why someone might choose to leave money to charity in their Will. Tax planning may be a key incentive, or it could be due to a lack of close family members. Some may simply wish to create a longer lasting personal legacy or they might...
There are issues with some companies who offered pre-paid Funeral Plans and indeed one company, ‘SureHands’, has collapsed with many people not knowing whether they will have their money returned. The same looks now to be happening with Probate...
The Private Client team at our Pickering and Malton offices have signed up to the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Free Will scheme. This is a scheme which people can talk to us about and instruct us on at any time of year, it is not limited to a specific week or...
We are very pleased to announce that in the third year of our transparent, merit-based and all-inclusive Career Progression Programme and following the latest round of applications, we have promoted 12 staff with effect from 1 May 2022. These promotions...
We are pleased to be able to share blogs written by our staff, talking about their job role, working at our firm and their career progression at Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors. In this blog by Caroline Clay, Trainee Solicitor at Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors,...
It is important to think about the future, even if it seems more uncertain than ever. Have you given any thought to your farm succession plan lately? Do you even have one? Who will run your business if you can’t? Farm succession planning is not just...
We are looking forward to being able to be more proactive in supporting our local community in 2022, now that we see restrictions on our lives due to COVID being eased by the government. Our Community Focus value is our commitment to showing that we are...
The Ministry of Justice recently announced all users of the probate service will pay a single, flat rate fee of £273, following its consultation in 2021. Currently, fees are £155 for professional users and £215 for non-professional users....
With people seeking greater flexibility and a better work-life balance, small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) now account for over 90 per cent of all private businesses in the UK. ‘ Launching and building your new startup is an exciting time and...
The white paper on social care in England and new cap on care fees brings more confusion to an already confused system. It’s unlikely to save many people any money and does nothing to alleviate the immediate crisis facing social care. There...
While the specific terms of any Will are up to the individual who makes it, after they have died there may be circumstances where those left behind wish to pass their gift to someone else. ‘Beneficiaries are not obligated to accept their inheritance,...
Every parent wants to put their children’s interests front and centre during a divorce or separation but all too often they don’t know where to turn for help. That’s why Resolution has created the ‘Parenting Through Separation...
If you have bought a new home in the last few years, then there is a chance that you will own your property on a leasehold as opposed to freehold basis. If this is the case, then you may be liable to pay ground rent charges to the person who retains...
A secret Trust can be a useful way of leaving a gift in your Will if you do not wish the details of that gift to become public knowledge. Historically, secret Trusts were used by those wishing to pass assets to extra-marital partners or illegitimate...
House prices continue to rise faster than most other investments and property is often the most valuable asset in someone’s estate when they die. But it is also a home and may need to remain a home for a surviving partner, spouse, or children. If you...
Kyra Women’s Project and Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors have been working together for five years this month to support women in need of legal advice. Women often come to Kyra to make positive changes in their lives after domestic abuse, mental illness,...
Making a lasting power of attorney for your finances is an important part of lifetime legal planning, especially if you have built up a portfolio of assets and investments which require regular management. While this legal authority needs to be set up well...
Daphne Frank’s devasting account of her mother falling victim to a predatory marriage highlights the need for better protection of vulnerable people who could be targeted by abusers. Members of Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE), the national membership...
You may have heard about someone looking after their elderly parent’s finances and affairs using a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), but there are other occasions when it makes sense to have an LPA in place. In our personal lives we tend to...
We are very pleased to announce that we are once again taking part in St Leonard’s Hospice Make a Will Month which runs throughout the month of October 2021. This gives you the opportunity to have your Will written by a solicitor in exchange for a...
With more people in the UK now living into their 80s and 90s, an increasing number of us are choosing to make a lasting power of attorney. This is a legal document under which we appoint someone we trust to make important decisions about our finances, and...
Making a Will is an important part of lifetime legal planning, but do you need to put all your wishes in your Will? Where should you set out your wishes for gifts or your funeral arrangements? Is it appropriate to explain your decisions about your...
It tends to be only in Hollywood movies that a Will is read aloud, usually for dramatic effect where the contents of the Will are unexpected and lead to the sort of tensions which create a good plot. For example, in the 2019 film ‘Knives Out’ the...
This week, the government launched a 12-week consultation into the modernisation of Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA’s). An LPA is a legal document that allows someone to make decisions about your finances, health, and care for you should you lose...
Often, access to agricultural land requires a right of way over someone else’s neighbouring land or a private road/track which has not been adopted by the Highways Authority. A right of way is an easement. This is a right for one landowner to use...
We are pleased to be able to share blogs over the coming months written by our staff, talking about their job role, working at the firm and career progression at Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors. In this blog by Matthew Burn, Trainee Solicitor at Crombie...
If you are the beneficiary of a trust and you are dissatisfied about the way in which an appointed trustee is acting, then it is important for you to understand your options for holding them to account. Trustee and beneficiary: What you need...
Living through a global pandemic has meant seeing loved ones taken from us at an alarming rate, and it has been distressing for many to see someone taken into hospital and not know if you might be able to see them again. ‘ Whilst planning...
If you are someone’s executor , then it can be tempting to try to administer the estate yourself with a view to saving money. If the estate is simple and you are comfortable with the legal and tax regulations, then this may be straightforward. ...
In our latest staff blog, Dale Cowling in our IT team talks about joining Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors and how his career and job responsibilities have developed over the nine years at our firm. He has demonstrated how our Values (#ClientCentred,...
Having a neighbour encroach on your property can be a difficult subject to broach. What might have started out looking like a small and innocuous plant to your neighbour can soon grow into a substantial hedge that extends well beyond their boundary,...
Matthew Railton , a legal advisor in our Wills and Probate team , has truly demonstrated his commitment and delivery of our Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors Service Pledge . Our Service Pledge has 8 commitments, and we work together as a team to deliver an...
John Ellis, Director at Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors with offices in Pickering, Malton, York and Selby, who has served thousands of clients in Pickering and the surrounding areas, retires on 30 April 2021 after 51 years as a solicitor. John qualified as a...
We all have the right to leave our money and property to whoever we please when we die, but the decisions we make must be arrived at freely and without undue influence from family, friends or others who hope to secure an inheritance. Our specialist Will...
We are pleased to be able to share with you the blogs written by our staff, talking about their job role, working at our firm and career progression opportunities at Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors . In this blog by Ben Simpson, Solicitor at Crombie...
The coronavirus pandemic has seen many marriage or civil partnership ceremonies postponed, and a survey by the wedding planning website Hitched found that 71 per cent of couples had postponed their weddings rather than proceed with just a handful of guests. ...
Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors in York , Selby , Malton and Pickering has once again secured membership to the Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Schem e - the mark of excellence for the home buying process. Crombie Wilkinson underwent rigorous...
After our recent full Lexcel re-assessment in March 2021, we are extremely proud to confirm we have been recommended for re-accreditation with Lexce l, the Law Society quality standard. Lexcel is a measure of performance on both practice management...
The documentary “Kate Garraway: Finding Derek” aired this week and highlighted the struggles TV presenter Kate has faced since her husband, Derek Draper, was admitted to hospital with Covid-19 in March 2020. Kate has openly spoken about the...
We are pleased to be able to share blogs written by our staff , talking about their job role, working at the firm and career progression at Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors. Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors is a vibrant and growing law firm serving individual...
If you are thinking of moving home , whether that be upsizing, downsizing or your first jump onto the proper ladder, the Government announcement earlier this week to extend the current SDLT ‘holiday’ will no doubt have been music to your...
There have been a number of changes in regard to marriage law since 2004, with the most recent being the introduction of opposite-sex civil partnerships in 2019. These changes have been important in providing clarity over legal rights and financial...
Like many government organisations, Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Services (HMCTS) has been increasing its digital services over the past few years as it aims to provide a more streamlined system for probate registries. While the...
If the pandemic, the pressures of three lockdowns and the Tiered system with its restrictions we all now live under have meant issues in your relationship have come to a head and you no longer see a way for you to stay together , what do you do? Firstly,...
Under the National Lockdown Guidance for England, people can continue existing arrangements for contact between parents and children where they live apart. This includes childcare bubbles. Always think about your family circumstances and impact of social...
Separated families and the coronavirus pandemic: what are the rules for children that live between two households during the Christmas period? This is a question no doubt that many parents have asked themselves and perhaps has been the cause...
We came across this great incite into co-parenting with your Ex in a harmonious way. As we head in to ‘Good Divorce Week’ w/c 30 November 2020, ways in which you can make the impact of divorce on all involved are really important for...
On top of the pandemic we are about to come to the end of the transition period and the government has published some guides for clients and others about the impact of Brexit on family law. For a House of Commons briefing paper on Divorce...
Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors has recently announced eight new promotions. Managing a business through a pandemic is definitely challenging, so it is great news to see local law firm Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors, not only adapting to deliver their legal...
As part of the commitment to our firm value of ‘ Community Focus ’ Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors will be handing over cheques totalling £1410.23 to KYRA Women in York, Black Cat Sanctuary in North Duffield, Ryedale Dog Rescue in Pickering...
Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors is taking part in the St Leonard’s Hospice’s Make a Will Month taking place in October 2020, giving you the opportunity to have your Will written by a solicitor in exchange for a donation towards patient care at St...
Finding suitable care for yourself, a relative or friend can be extremely daunting and it can be very difficult to know which way to turn, especially if the care is needed in an emergency situation rather than over a gradual time period. Having access to...
It was a delightful to work with you and we will certainly come to you again for legal work.
We would recommend you to anyone as we were highly satisfied.
We have come across other legal teams and seen how their services have worked and we would highly recommend Crombie Wilkinson as they are competent and approachable in their services.
Everything was explained clearly and as a first time buyer I found this particularly helpful.
Have huge confidence in Crombies, always listen, always act.
Having had previous property related work completed in a prompt and satisfactory manner we were more than happy to approach your company for further work on our behalf.
Your firm did an excellent job meeting my expectations at a sensible cost.
You are available for the client, you communicate with the client, you do this within 24-48 hours, we feel safe with you because of this.
Our solicitor, secretary and the reception staff all excellent service.
Quick and easy, I have already recommended a friend, they are also using you to buy a house.
Your patience and support has been much appreciated. You helped me through a very difficult, frustrating time but I am already settled in my new home and the children all feel happy there, in fact they have hardly left!!
Everyone was so friendly, we were soon put at ease.
Immediate attention and sunny disposition, caring, nothing was too much. Levels of service are perfect, no improvement necessary.
I was very pleased with Crombie Wilkinson. I will in future always go back with any problems I may have.
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