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Samuel Phillips Law Blog

Wills, Probate & Trust

Wills, Probate & Trust

Jury rules document found in Aretha Franklin’s sofa is valid will

After a five-year legal battle, a jury in Michigan has now ruled that a home-made 2014 Will prepared by the soul singer Aretha Franklin, found down the side of her sofa, is the valid Will to her £4.6 million pound estate.

Samuel Phillips Law

Myth Busting Mondays

Check out the third in a new series of weekly vlogs by Peter Durham from Samuel Phillips Law's Wills, Probate and Trusts Team.

Wills, Probate & Trust

Myth Busting Mondays

Check out the third in a new series of weekly vlogs by Peter Durham from Samuel Phillips Law's Wills, Probate and Trusts Team.

Wills, Probate & Trust

Myth Busting Mondays

Check out the third in a new series of weekly vlogs by Peter Durham from Samuel Phillips Law's Wills, Probate and Trusts Team.

Wills, Probate & Trust

Myth Busting Mondays

Check out the second in a new series of weekly vlogs by Felicity Nelson from Samuel Phillips Law's Wills, Probate and Trusts Team

Wills, Probate & Trust

Make a Will Month June 2023

Samuel Phillips Law are proud to support St Oswald’s Make a Will Month throughout June 2023. Join us in supporting St Oswald’s Hospice.

Wills, Probate & Trust

Myth Busting Mondays

Check out the first in a new series of weekly vlogs by Peter Durham from Samuel Phillips Law's Wills, Probate and Trusts Team.

Wills, Probate & Trust

Bereavement and anxiety

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, Felicity Nelson from our Wills, Probate and Trusts team explores the effect of bereavement on anxiety.

Wills, Probate & Trust

Is your Will Registered?

If you make your Will with Samuel Phillips Law, we will register your Will with The National Will Register free of charge.

Wills, Probate & Trust

Senior Associate Promotion at Samuel Phillips Law

Samuel Phillips Law has promoted solicitor Felicity Nelson to Senior Associate and appointed her as Head of Wills, Probate and Trusts,

Wills, Probate & Trust

Update Your Will Week 2023

Samuel Phillips Law is proud to support Update Your Will Week (23rd - 29th January), an awareness campaign hosted by Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE).

Wills, Probate & Trust

Proud to champion gifts in Wills

Samuel Phillips Law are proud to support the Remember a Charity in your Will scheme.

Wills, Probate & Trust

Why your New Year’s Resolution should be to make a Will

The New Year is often a time of resolutions and good intentions so why not take the opportunity to get your affairs in order?

Wills, Probate & Trust

LPApril: Lasting Powers of Attorney

Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) are extremely useful and important documents, but many do not even know what they are, let alone why they need them. We at Samuel Phillips are here to change that.

Wills, Probate & Trust

LPApril

Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) are extremely useful and important documents, but many do not even know what they are, let alone why they need them. We at Samuel Phillips are here to change that and are offering reduced prices throughout April 2022 as part of our LPApril scheme!

Wills, Probate & Trust

Update your Will Week – Almost over

Update your Will Week is almost over, but it’s not too late to arrange your appointment with our Felicity Nelson today, who is an Associate Member of SFE, by calling 0191 232 8451 or emailing felicitynelson@samuelphillips.co.uk to get started.

Wills, Probate & Trust

Update your Will Week – Halfway through

We are halfway through Update your Will Week! Don’t forget to contact our Felicity Nelson today, who is an Associate Member of SFE, by calling 0191 232 8451 or emailing felicitynelson@samuelphillips.co.uk to get started.

Wills, Probate & Trust

Update your Will Week

It’s Update your Will Week this week! With new research from @SFELawyers revealing 47% of people haven’t updated their will in more than five years, this means nearly half of wills in the UK are likely to be out of date!

Wills, Probate & Trust

How private is your Will?

The High Court recently ruled that Prince Philip’s Last Will and Testament is to be kept secret for a period of 90 years. This may have you thinking…

Wills, Probate & Trust

Is your Will still valid?

A well drafted Will should be enduring and cover a lot of ‘what ifs’. For example, it should include replacement executors and beneficiaries. However, we can never predict the future and it is therefore extremely important that you review your Will every few years and after any major life changes.

Wills, Probate & Trust

“Everything is in our joint names anyway”

Many people believe that if you have a joint account with your partner or spouse, if one of you loses capacity, the other can continue use of the account. This is not true.

Wills, Probate & Trust

‘Dad has lost capacity. He made an Enduring Power of Attorney years ago, but can I still use it?’

Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs) were replaced by Lasting Powers of Attorney in October 2007. If you made an EPA before 2007, this can still be used, however, if the donor (that is the person who made the EPA) has lost or is losing capacity, you will need to register the EPA with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) before it can be used. An unregistered EPA can be used whilst the donor still has capacity.

Wills, Probate & Trust

Brexit – The Effect on Wills, Probate & Trusts Part 2

Although Brexit has very little direct impact on the law relating to Wills, Probate and Trusts, we are very aware that it will have a considerable impact for many of our clients who may need to revisit their lifetime planning as a result.

Wills, Probate & Trust

Brexit – The Effect on Wills, Probate & Trusts Part 1

The EU Succession Regulation deals with the ability to choose the country whose law will apply to your estate when you die. This is important as if there is a difference in the law between the country where you made your Will and the country where the asset is it can lead to the wishes in your Will not being able to take effect.

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