Last year, a new private members’ bill was introduced to Parliament, calling for there to be a ban on Inheritance Tax being paid by siblings who live together.

Under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 the COP may direct that an LPA should not be registered if one of the grounds for objecting to registration applies.

The value of our online lives is becoming immeasurable, yet not many people are recording or protecting their digital assets just like their physical ones.

It is safe to say that the current tax regime in this country is far from straightforward. We have Income Tax, to raise funds from employment earnings and savings income, Capital Gains Tax, to tax the increase in value of certain assets and Inheritance Tax, for transfers of wealth after death. And this is without the other numerous taxes involved in our lives.

During Lockdown we have seen various changes in the law regarding how Wills can be finalised during the pandemic, including the use of remote witnesses. However, what has been less well publicised are whether there are any equivalent rules for the remote signing of Lasting Powers of Attorneys (LPAs).

You may not be aware that you do not have to pay Capital Gains Tax when selling your home, but the detail of the rules are a little more complex than this though.

A recent Freedom of Information request, published by The Telegraph has shown the confusion over complex Inheritance Tax provisions. The number of estates being investigated by the Revenue is at a four-year high, with numerous families having to suffer scrutiny.

The probate service is under pressure due to the number of enquiries checking on the progress of cases and asking general questions. They had been in the middle of a restructuring when the pandemic hit, potentially adding to the current pressure on them.

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has launched a digital ‘Use a Lasting Power of Attorney’ tool to help make attorneyship administration simpler and safer for those involved.

Many of us believe that our next of kin will automatically be able to make medical decisions for us if something unfortunate were to happen, but this isn’t entirely true.

LPAs came into place in 2007, but before then Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs) were available instead. There is no need to worry if you have an EPA, rather than an LPA, as correctly made EPAs are still perfectly valid.

According to a recent report, another result of the Coronavirus pandemic will be falling markets and a decrease in house prices. Which will have an affect not just on those looking to buy and sell their own homes, but also Executors and Administrators of estates for family or friends that have sadly passed.