Government figures estimate there are 600,000 empty homes in England, 216,000 of which have been vacant for more than six months. When we need another 300,000 new homes each year to meet demand, returning some of these vacant properties to the open market would ease the pressure. Recent statistics show Read more…
This year marks the 20th anniversary of a court case that challenged the validity of missing beneficiary insurance as an administration expense of a deceased’s estate. This month, Ben Brown explains the threat it posed to families with long-lost relatives… In 1999, the case of Evans v Westcombe was big Read more…
It is estimated lost assets worth £15 billion are waiting to be claimed in the UK, a figure that is likely to increase as we embrace digitisation. This month, Ben Brown explains how this complicates the role of executors… The recent sudden death of Gerald Cotton, founder of Canadian cryptocurrency, Read more…
Is it fair to limit inheritance tax exemptions to spouses only or should other family members be included? This month, Ben Brown discusses how an unexpected bill can have catastrophic consequences for those you leave behind… I came across a very sad case in the Sunday Times recently concerning two Read more…
The legacy of Lord Lucan lives on. This month, Ben Brown discusses how the Presumption of Death Act 2013 has brought closure for the families of missing people… We are all familiar with the peculiar case of Lord Lucan and the countless conspiracy theories about his disappearance in 1974. The Read more…