Professional & Quality Service without the High Street Price Tag
// by Michael Cotterill
Modern Problems How does your Joint Ownership of Property Connect to your Will? Modern Wills increasingly provide for a surviving spouse/partner, who is also a co-owner of shared property, by way of an exclusive and unrestricted protective Will Trust for the benefit of that surviving spouse/partner, rather than the survivor merely absorbing the deceased’s share …
How does your Joint Ownership of Property Connect to your Will?Read More
// by Michael Cotterill
Do it Yourself (DIY) Wills Beware of “Free” Wills. Anyone may draft their own Will if they wish and therefore pay only for the ink and the paper required to create the document, or the cost of a DIY kit from a High Street stationer. Any such “Do it Yourself” (DIY) Will should be perfectly valid …
// by Michael Cotterill
Inheritance Tax – Farms and Business Assets, from 6th April 2026 it shall no longer be possible to enjoy an unlimited value of agricultural and/or business-related assets Inheritance Tax (IHT) relief after our lifetimes when we pass these down to the next generation. However, these will continue to be exempt from IHT when passing them …
Inheritance Tax – Farms and Business Assets from April 2026Read More
// by Michael Cotterill
A modern Will is NOT simply a list of who does what, and who receives what after we die. If that were the case, then there would be little need for solicitors and professional Will Writers because people would merely prepare such a list at their own convenience. Here are a few examples of potential …
// by Michael Cotterill
If there would be an advantage to us to VARY how we inherit from a deceased person’s estate, either via their Will or by the Law of Intestacy because there was no Will, then we have up to TWO years after that person died to do so. This process is known as undertaking a Deed …
// by Michael Cotterill
Trusts are very often considered to be complicated and expensive. However, although the “terms and conditions” can sometimes be detailed and extensive, the fundamental purpose of a Trust will usually be stipulated by the person or people wishing to create it. The “legalese” contained within the paperwork is merely to ensure that a Trust is …
// by Michael Cotterill
Questions that we receive regularly include “How do I know that my Will is valid?”; and “For How long does my Will remain valid?”; and “Can I make any changes to my Will?” How do I Know that my Will is Valid? As soon as your Will has been signed correctly, it becomes a legally …
// by Michael Cotterill
If you own your property as “Joint Tenants” with another person, you may decide that you want to change that joint ownership, so your property is then owned as either “Tenants in Common in Equal Shares” or “Tenants in Common in Unequal Shares” instead. The equal or unequal shares shall depend upon whether you wish …
Joint Tenants v Tenants in Common Property OwnershipRead More
// by Michael Cotterill
Gifting can sometimes be an effective way to reduce your future potential Inheritance Tax (IHT) liability after your lifetime. However, you only need to consider this if there would be a potential IHT liability after your death OR you have other genuine reasons to make gifts to other people. Will there be an Inheritance Tax …
// by Michael Cotterill
Not Always If you are an Executor of a Will or a Representative of a deceased person (if there is no Will), you will need to establish whether a Grant of Probate is required for their estate. Usually, a Grant of Probate is required from a government department known as the “Probate Registry” if any …
// by Michael Cotterill
Investment Property is NOT Automatically Exempt from Inheritance Tax (IHT) It is widely recognised that although most ongoing active businesses are exempt from Inheritance Tax (IHT) upon the death of the owner(s) or controlling shareholder(s), businesses where the main activity relates to investment property or properties are NOT exempt from potential IHT liability. Can I …
// by Michael Cotterill
When someone does not inherit from an estate but believes that they should, they may have grounds to contest the Will of a deceased person or contest the law of intestacy if there is no Will. Whether they will be successful with their claim depends upon numerous factors including whether they were financially dependent upon …
TRF Wills (TRF) was created by Michael Cotterill in 2005. He is a member of the Society of Will Writers and registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
TRF Wills
Head Office: Chapelhayes
Threshers
Crediton
Devon
EX17 3NR
General email address: michaelcotterill@trfwills.co.uk