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...
Make or update your simple Will for free* Free Wills Month brings together a group of well-respected charities to offer members of the public aged 55 and over the opportunity to have their simple Wills written or updated free of charge by using solicitors...
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...
We encourage people to plan ahead to help reduce their inheritance tax (IHT) bill, as well as having three key documents in place to protect themselves and their family with Our Platform. Latest figures from HMRC show that inheritance tax receipts have...
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...
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...
Update Your Will Week (4th – 10th March), is an annual campaign hosted by The Association of Lifetime Lawyers. It aims to raise awareness around the risks of not having an up to date Will and encourages people to update their Will to ensure their...
Our York, Malton and Pickering offices are taking part in the Martin House Hospice Make a Will Month in March 2024. This is a scheme where you can make your Will for free* from 1-31 March 2024. If you want to take part as a supporter, a Will Month pack will...
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. ...
Our solicitors Sharon Richardson , Belinda-Jane Poulter , Bethany Worthy and Emma Silkstone are proud Accredited Lifetime Lawyers (previously known as Solicitors for the Elderly). They’re some of the most qualified specialists in the country in...
Many people who opt to make a home-made Will do so because they think they will save money on legal fees. Unfortunately, this can lead to problems and unexpected costs later down the line for the family who may be left to unravel problems at a difficult...
We have signed up to be part of the Alzheimer's Society ‘Will to Remember’ scheme and as of 5 th February 2024, we are listed on their map of solicitors who take part in the scheme. We are already a part of Alzheimer’s Research...
Does your next of kin have an automatic right to make decisions regarding your finances and health if you lose mental capacity? The answer is NO. In order to give someone the legal authority to manage your financial affairs and to make medical decisions...
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...
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...
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. ...
Our Private Client team are supporting a number of charity Will month schemes in October 2023. Please see the details below on how these work if you would like to make a Will using one of these schemes. St Leonard’s Will Month Our Selby and York...
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...
On 26 July 2023, the law changed to increase the “statutory legacy” in intestate estates. Statutory legacy is the amount of money a spouse or civil partner is entitled to receive when a person dies without a Will. What is...
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...
Whether the beneficiary of an estate is entitled to inherit a small personal item, a share or even the majority of the assets of the person who died, it can be a stressful time for them while they wait for probate to come through. Delays at the probate...
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 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...
Are mirror Wills right for us? If you are married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting with a long term partner, and thinking of making or updating your Will, you may have heard the expression ‘mirror Wills’ and wonder if this would be...
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. ...
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...
This week (23rd – 29th January) is Update Your Will Week, an awareness campaign hosted by SFE to encourage more people to update their Will and ensure their wishes are carried out when they die. This helps minimise disputes – easing distress (and...
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...
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...
A common concern for many people as the population is now living much longer is what will happen to their property if they need to go into a care home. Naturally, people want to protect the assets they have worked hard for during their life, however,...
The Trust Registration Service regime will be extended from the 1 September 2022. From this date, the categories of Trusts that are required to register with HMRC will be significantly broadened, and subject to any specific exclusions in the new rules, will...
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...
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. ...
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...
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...
Creating a Will with a life interest trust over your property allows you to ensure that your home passes to those you choose, whilst also allowing you to provide for another loved one during their lifetime. Life interest trust Wills are particularly popular...
While celebrities often have many professional advisors who look after their business affairs, like many ordinary people they sometimes do not get around to making a Will and setting out their particular wishes. ‘ When you die without a Will,...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Born in Greece and educated in France and Germany before coming to the UK, at his death in April of this year Prince Philip reportedly left a multi-million-pound estate which includes assets overseas. The administration of those assets, and therefore his...
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...
Relying on the concept of ‘next of kin’ – when is this enough? Next of kin is a commonly used term in everyday language, yet despite its frequent use ‘next of kin’ only provides legal rights where children are concerned and,...
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...
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. ...
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...
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...
We are making a £10 donation to the NHS for every new Will instruction we take in May 2020. During these uncertain and strange times, the likes of which most of us have never experienced before, we are all having to adapt and change our lives to stay...
Last week it was announced that Dame Barbara Windsor is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia. According to Barbara’s husband Scott Mitchell, she first showed symptoms in 2009 when her close friends and...
Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors explains how to provide for your pet when you are gone. People sometimes prepare Wills simply because they wish to provide for their pet after their death where they have no close family. Wills dealing with pets require...
For many of us a spring clean means sorting through a pile of papers at the back of the cupboard that hasn't been touched in years. Amongst these may be a copy of your Will, but how long ago was it made? It is important that your Will is...
Could you remember York Mind in your Will? York Mind are our current chosen charity for our York office and as part of the fundraising we have been doing to support them, we wanted to let people know that you can support them too by looking to leave a gift...
What happens to the assets of an elderly farmer who needs to go into care? Farming families are treated particularly harshly when it comes to payment of care fees. It is common for an elderly farmer to farm in partnership with his child or children, so...
Amnesty International UK - Make a Will Month March 2018 Use your Will. Change the World. The annual Amnesty International UK free Will-writing scheme is taking place this March. Make a Will Month offers you the opportunity to write your first Will or...
The RNLI is offering its supporters, aged over 55, the opportunity to write their Will for free with us. Our Free Wills Service gives our clients the chance to write their Will free of charge and, if they wish, include a gift to the RNLI. After taking...
AGE UK has produced a Briefing on Health and Care of Older People in England 2017 This is a very comprehensive review of demographics, social care and health services in relation to older people. There is also a useful summary of these facts and figures...
We are proud to participate in Amnesty's free will-writing scheme ‘Make a Will Month’. Helping to tackle human rights abuses around the world. We are working with Amnesty International UK by providing a free Will service in return...
The BBC has republished an online guide to care, which details the costs people face wherever they live in the UK. Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors have specialist solicitors who can provide later life advice, including making a Will and LPA's, Long Term...
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has recently imposed fines on several organisations for data breaches: Hampshire County Council was fined 100,000 for failing to implement effective contingency plans to protect personal data when...
Marie Curie has agreed a set fee with participating solicitors to write a simple single or Mirror Will, or update an existing simple Will. The scheme is open to individuals and couples aged 55 and above. For couples only one person needs to be aged 55 or...
We help with Wills. We are proud to support Macmillan from Monday 19th to Friday 30th September with their Will Writing Campaign promotion. By supporting this campaign, you will be making a difference to the lives of local people affected by...
York Teaching Hospital Charity Will Writing Campaign Monday 17 Friday 28 October 2016 (weekday appointments only) Why make a Will? Only three out of ten of us will make a Will. This means we are not planning for the future of our loved ones,...
Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors is the Founder Member for the York area for Certainty. Certainty is a National Will Register and Will search service. It is used by the legal profession, the public, charities and financial institutions to register and...
Almost 1 billion will be left abandoned in bank accounts this year alone by people who die without a Will. According to the rules of intestacy that dictate the distribution of assets when someone dies without a Will in place, the banks must freeze their...
86% of people in the Yorkshire and the Humber are currently living with no control over important later-life decisions around their housing, assets, heath, and care, according to a new report by SFE (Solicitors for the Elderly), the national organisation...
The decisions and plans you make now will have a huge impact on your later life. Getting them right is essential. An SFE accredited lawyer is an expert in older client law and will ensure you get the best possible legal advice for your future. Sharon...
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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