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Will UK Interest Rates Go Up in 2026?

Will UK Interest Rates Go Up in 2026?

The Bank of England held the base rate at 4.25% in May 2026. With inflation at 2.8%, here is what rate decisions mean for mortgage holders and sa...

12 Jun 2026 · 3 min read
UK Wills: The Complete Guide

UK Wills: The Complete Guide

A UK will sets out how assets pass on death and names executors to administer the estate. Without a will, intestacy rules apply, which often produce outcomes the deceased would not have chosen. Wills should be reviewed after marriage, divorce, having children, and major asset changes.

16 Jun 2026 · 9 min read
UK Will Witnesses and Validity Rules

UK Will Witnesses and Validity Rules

A UK will must be signed by the testator in the presence of two independent witnesses, who must also sign in the testator's presence. Beneficiary witnesses (or their spouses) invalidate the gift to the beneficiary but not the rest of the will. Improper execution can invalidate the entire

16 Jun 2026 · 9 min read
UK Will Disputes and Contesting Process

UK Will Disputes and Contesting Process

UK wills can be contested on several grounds: lack of testamentary capacity, undue influence, fraud, want of knowledge and approval, improper execution, or claims for reasonable financial provision under the Inheritance Act 1975. Time limits and procedural requirements apply. Most

16 Jun 2026 · 8 min read
UK Trusts Overview for Estate Planning

UK Trusts Overview for Estate Planning

UK trusts hold assets for the benefit of others. They are widely used in estate planning to control how wealth passes, protect beneficiaries (including minors and vulnerable adults), and (in some cases) achieve IHT efficiency. Different trust types have different tax treatments under IHT,

16 Jun 2026 · 8 min read
UK Power of Attorney Types: LPA, EPA, Court-Appointed

UK Power of Attorney Types: LPA, EPA, Court-Appointed

UK Powers of Attorney come in several forms. Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) for Property and Financial Affairs and for Health and Welfare are the modern format. Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs) made before October 2007 remain valid. Court-appointed deputyship covers situations where

16 Jun 2026 · 9 min read
UK Online vs Solicitor Wills Compared

UK Online vs Solicitor Wills Compared

Online will services cost less (typically GBP 30 to GBP 100) and suit simple estates with standard provisions. Solicitor-drafted wills cost more (typically GBP 150 to GBP 400 for standard wills) but include legal advice and are typically appropriate for more complex estates, blended

16 Jun 2026 · 7 min read
UK Mirror Wills vs Mutual Wills Compared

UK Mirror Wills vs Mutual Wills Compared

Mirror wills are two identical wills made by a couple, each leaving everything to the other and then to chosen beneficiaries. Each can be changed independently after the first death. Mutual wills include a binding agreement not to change after the first death, enforced as a trust on the

16 Jun 2026 · 9 min read
UK Lasting Power of Attorney vs Will Compared

UK Lasting Power of Attorney vs Will Compared

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) and a will address different stages of life. An LPA gives chosen attorneys authority to make decisions if the donor loses mental capacity during their lifetime. A will sets out how assets pass on death and names executors to administer the estate. Both

16 Jun 2026 · 9 min read
UK Lifetime Gifting Strategies for IHT

UK Lifetime Gifting Strategies for IHT

Lifetime gifting moves wealth out of the IHT-taxable estate. Several exemptions allow gifts to be made immediately without IHT impact; potentially exempt transfers fall outside the estate after 7 years. Gifts out of normal expenditure from surplus income are exempt without time limit if

17 Jun 2026 · 9 min read
UK Estate Planning: The Complete Guide

UK Estate Planning: The Complete Guide

UK estate planning combines a will, lifetime gifts, trusts, and beneficiary nominations to pass wealth to chosen beneficiaries while managing inheritance tax. The IHT nil-rate band of GBP 325,000 and residence nil-rate band of up to GBP 175,000 are key allowances; the 40 percent IHT rate

16 Jun 2026 · 9 min read
UK Estate Planning by Net Worth Bracket

UK Estate Planning by Net Worth Bracket

Estate planning needs differ by net worth: estates well below the nil-rate bands need only a clear will and Power of Attorney; estates approaching or above the bands need active IHT planning; very large estates often use trusts and business reliefs. This article maps planning steps to

16 Jun 2026 · 9 min read
US-UK Estate Tax Treaty Explained for Migrants

US-UK Estate Tax Treaty Explained for Migrants

The 1978 US-UK estate and gift tax treaty allocates primary taxing rights between the two countries for cross-border estates and provides credit mechanisms to avoid double taxation. For US citizens in the UK and UK residents with US assets, the treaty interacts with the post-April 2025 UK residence

16 Jun 2026 · 8 min read
UK Will With Foreign Assets: What Migrants Need

UK Will With Foreign Assets: What Migrants Need

Migrants to the UK who own assets in two or more jurisdictions usually need a UK will alongside (or in coordination with) a will in the country of origin. UK formalities, executor eligibility, and revocation interactions are very different from foreign succession systems. A poorly drafted single wi

16 Jun 2026 · 8 min read
UK Probate Explained in 2026

UK Probate Explained in 2026

UK probate is the legal process of administering a deceased person's estate. The executor (with a will) or administrator (without) applies to the Probate Service for the formal authority to gather assets, pay debts and IHT, and distribute the estate. Most UK estates require probate where the deceas

16 Jun 2026 · 10 min read
UK Prepaid Funeral Plans Explained

UK Prepaid Funeral Plans Explained

A UK prepaid funeral plan locks in the cost of a defined funeral package today, with the provider holding the funds (in trust or insurance) until the funeral is needed. The market has been regulated by the FCA since 29 July 2022, materially strengthening consumer protection. Plans typically cover t

16 Jun 2026 · 7 min read
Inheritance Tax UK: Thresholds, Rates and How to Reduce Your Bill

Inheritance Tax UK: Thresholds, Rates and How to Reduce Your Bill

UK inheritance tax is charged at 40 percent on the value of an estate above the available nil-rate bands. The standard nil-rate band is currently 325,000 pounds per individual; an additional residence nil-rate band of 175,000 pounds can apply where a qualifying main residence passes to direct desce

17 Jun 2026 · 1 min read

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