by johnireland | Estate Planning Essentials
Most people do not know this: in England and Wales, marriage automatically revokes your Will. The moment you say “I do,” your existing Will is treated as though it never existed — unless it specifically says it was made in contemplation of that particular...
by johnireland | Estate Planning Essentials
The Problem Around 54 per cent of UK adults do not have a valid will. When someone dies without one, the intestacy rules decide who inherits — and the outcome rarely matches what the deceased would have wanted. Who Gets What Under Intestacy If you are married with...
by johnireland | Estate Planning Essentials
Your Digital Life Needs an Estate Plan Too The average UK adult has over 100 online accounts. Fewer than 15 per cent of Wills mention digital assets at all. The result: families locked out of email, cryptocurrency lost behind forgotten passwords, and subscriptions...
by johnireland | Estate Planning Essentials
The Problem Most wills are written when children are young. But children grow up — they marry, divorce, start businesses, accumulate debts, and have children of their own. An estate plan that was right ten years ago may no longer protect them today. Key Risks to...
by johnireland | Estate Planning Essentials
Why Review Now? Tax thresholds are frozen until 2030-31. Business Property Relief is capped. Capital Gains Tax rates have risen. If your estate plan was written before the Autumn Budget 2024, it may contain assumptions that are no longer correct. A simple review of...
by johnireland | Estate Planning Essentials
You updated your Will after the divorce. But did you update your pension nomination? Most people do not — and the consequences can be devastating. Pension death benefits and life insurance payouts are typically controlled by nomination forms, not by your Will. These...
