Aug 20, 2024 Inheritance and capital gains tax changes likely - Should compensation awards be treated differently? By Donna Holmes As we are all probably well aware, the country has a financial black hole - some £22 billion - which, sadly, is unlikely to be found down...
Jul 30, 2024 Proposed care fees cap abolished By Donna Holmes After being kicked into the long grass on several occasions since first being proposed, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed what we...
Mar 07, 2024 Probate and the Budget - a nugget of hope? By Donna Holmes Yesterday's Budget had some ‘headline grabbers’ around tax cuts - given the cost of living crisis, whether those cuts make a discernible...
Jul 03, 2023 A new funeral option after 120 years By Donna Holmes For the first time in over 120 years there will soon be a new choice of funeral wishes and how a body can be disposed of. For those...
Jun 21, 2023 "An obligation that comes from love" - Best interests are never easy, least of all in cases of medical treatment decisions By Donna Holmes BBC One drama Best Interests has shone a powerful light on the role of the Court of Protection in medical treatment decisions where those...
Jun 15, 2023 Child Trust Funds and benefits impact - navigating the conundrum By Donna Holmes Child Trust Funds are in the news again for the impact they can have on a child's entitlement to means tested benefits where the funds...
Apr 20, 2023 Child Trust Funds and the Court of Protection - What's the right outcome? By Donna Holmes Over the past year or so the issue of parents of children who have recently turned 18 trying to access the Child Trust Fund created for...
Aug 26, 2022 Tough choices ahead By Donna Holmes It's my immense privilege to look after the financial affairs of some of society's most vulnerable people, who through injury,...
Jul 25, 2022 Holiday warnings for Blue Badge holders By Donna Holmes As the 'great getaway' starts and the main summer holidays begin, Blue Badge holders heading to the continent need to pay particular...
Jun 24, 2022 Registration times raise concerns for vulnerable people's financial management By Donna Holmes Lasting powers of attorneys (LPAs) are documents where a person, with capacity (the donor) , can appoint a person or people of their...
Jun 24, 2022 When a freeze is a tax rise in disguise... By Donna Holmes Inheritance tax receipts rose by 13% for the 2021/21 tax year with increases continuing to be seen for April and May 2022. The rise in...
Jun 10, 2022 Supporting carers is everyone's business By Donna Holmes As this year's Carer's Week draws to a close, I was struck by the headline of a blog from South West London and St Georges NHS Trust -...