Category: Estate Management

May 03
Lost an Heir? Let Experts Help You Trace Them

Lost an Heir? Dealing with Probate? Let Experts Help You Trace Them Probate family tracing services can simplify complex probate matters by locating missing heirs and beneficiaries, ensuring the deceased’s wishes are carried out. Using a probate family tracing service can save a great deal of time and heartache for those responsible for administering an estate. It can also provide peace of mind for loved ones, knowing that the estate is being distributed in accordance with the wishes of the deceased person. FindUKPeople provides help to those trying to locate missing…

Apr 28
Sarah’s story: The importance of seeking professional financial advice

Sarah’s story, a 2023 Widow’s Tale. Highlighting the importance of seeking professional financial advice when facing financial challenges*. Income of a surviving spouse or partner may be halved or considerably reduced in the event of the main pension holder’s death, particularly in the case of defined benefit pensions and the state retirement benefit. This loss of income can be worrying and have a significant impact on the survivor’s financial stability. Planning ahead and seeking professional financial advice to explore available options can help mitigate the financial impact of a spouse’s death,…

Apr 18
Can I donate my late mother’s entire house contents to The Salvation Army?

In 1899, the first ever Salvation Army charity shop opened in Kingston upon Hull. The Salvation Army Trading Company’s aim was to raise funds to help with their charitable work. A pretty new idea back then, but it didn’t take long for other charities to jump on board and start their own shops. Now, they are expanding their range of specialist charity shops. There are two specialist charity furniture shops in the UK – on Wellington Street in Luton and on Dumbarton Road in Glasgow as well as over 20 donation…

Apr 18
Safety Net for Your Inheritance, Estate Executors Safe from Financial Apocalypse!

UK Government’s Safety Net for Your Inheritance, Estate Executors Safe from Financial Apocalypse! Most people are aware of The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) providing protection to consumers in the event that their bank went bust. The standard protection limit being £85k per person per financial institution or £170k for joint accounts. For those who work in the thousands, with regards to savings, the normal protection is probably more than sufficient, but what happens when large sums are generated from an inheritance? One of the protections offered by the FSCS is…

Apr 18
What is the Canine Care Card & why it’s great!

A win-win situation for dogs, dog owners, and something that every dog owner should consider. The Dogs Trust charity has created a solution to the problems that might be faced following the death of a dog owner: the Canine Care Card. It’s a simple card that owners carry in their wallet or purse, including information about their dog; name, breed, and any medical conditions they may have. In the event of the pet owner’s death or incapacity, the card acts to ensure that their dog(s) are cared for by someone who…

Feb 16
Should smaller charities be chasing Will bequests and Legacies?

The ONS stated over 689,000 uk deaths in 2020 and according to published statistics less than 1 in 10 left money to charity. So is it worth chasing this source of income?……….Probably! 40% of deaths resulted in Probate, that’s 275000.16% of those estates listed charities, either as bequests or residual beneficiaries, that’s 44,000.In fact the average number of charities mentioned per will was 3.3With me so far? If the average residual bequest in 2020 was £50,000 then 44,000 times is £2.2Bn (£2,200,000,000)! Funeraldirections.com believes that smaller, local charities should be pushing for…

Feb 16
Can I drive the deceased’s car?

Sometimes it’s the unthought of things that can catch out the recently bereaved. funeraldirections.com hopes to give just that extra piece of help and guidance. When a policyholder dies, their insurance policy typically ends, including any multi-car insurance plans they may have had. This means that all vehicles insured under the deceased’s policy may be at risk of being uninsured in case of an accident, fire, theft, or any other damages. If you need to drive any of the vehicles covered under the deceased’s single or multi-car insurance policy, it’s crucial…

Feb 15
Death, Pension Credit & Prepaid Funeral plans

Death, Pension Credit and the £800 prepaid funeral that could end up costing thousands! Although you might think that covering some of the cost of your final expense might be helpful to your family, if you are receiving benefits doing so may impact your eligibility for certain means-tested benefits. If you are receiving means-tested benefits, such as Pension Credit or Income Support, you will have a maximum allowable capital limit that you must not exceed.  A funeral plan might be assessed as “notional” money and if the cost of the funeral…

Feb 02
A Hand Written Checklist!

It’s a simple yet powerful tool that can help you keep track of your funeral planning tasks, prioritize them and stay organized and there are many benefits to using a handwritten checklist. When you write down your tasks by hand, you’re able to focus better and avoid distractions. This helps you prioritize the tasks effectively. Writing also engages your memory, which means you’ll remember your plans better. Seeing your tasks written down on paper can be a huge motivator and gives you a sense of accomplishment as you check them off.…