How is it that a will scribbled on the back on a napkin can be valid, but a beautifully scripted will on the finest of hand crafted papers can be worthless?

Couples, thruples, polygamous relationships and non-monogamy Do not bury your head in the sand – when you have a non-traditional relationship structure the headline is – ‘THE INTESTACY RULES WON’T CUT IT’

The fact is we have an ageing population – healthier lifestyles and medical advances mean that people are living longer

A Will is one of the most important documents that a person will ever sign, yet surprisingly 2 out of 3 adults die without leaving a valid Will

Virtually every day we see clients who think that it would be a good idea to give their home away – either as an outright gift to their children or into a trust, as a way of avoiding any future care fees

‘I was shocked to find out my dad could inherit if I died – I haven’t seen him for years’

One of the questions we now ask our clients at our initial will meeting is “Do you have any cryptocurrency?”

Research commissioned by SFE (Solicitors for the Elderly) and Maxwell Hodge Solicitors shows that nearly one-half of UK adults have experienced a life changing event since last updating their Will.

Common Law Marriage In 2021 there were around 3.6 million cohabiting unmarried couples – an increase of 144% since 1996

Following on from a piece written by Natasha Booth, from our Lifetime Planning Team, posted in August, when she spoke about the importance of a properly prepared will

Each year millions of people across the UK fall victim to scamming – amongst them are older and vulnerable members of society.

A lasting power of attorney (LPA) is an important legal document which enables you to appoint somebody else to deal with your financial and legal affairs

I am a Solicitor and member of Solicitors for the Elderly.

An estimated one in three families in the UK are “blended”, meaning they have a combination of parents, new partners and children from different relationships.

Half of wills in the North of England are out of date.

Recently, the government launched a 12-week consultation into the modernisation of Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA’s).

There have been several articles written about people being forced into early retirement due to Covid-19.

You may recently have seen Kate Garraway’s heart-breaking story of her husband Derek’s year-long battle with Covid.  The situation has been made even more complicated by the lack of legal protection she and Derek had in place.

The CQC’s review into the application of Do-Not-Attempt-Resuscitate (DNAR) orders during the Covid-19 pandemic reveals incorrect and ageist use.

Have you ever thought to yourself “What would I do if I was no longer able to manage my own affairs?”

If your serious injury claim is successful and you are awarded damages or agree a settlement, it is likely that you will have a significant amount of money to deal with.

The financial press often report on families being put at risk by unregulated firms promising to help them avoid care fees and inheritance tax.

After the excesses of Christmas have been enjoyed, thoughts often turn to New Year’s Resolutions that many of us struggle to maintain. This year, in addition to perhaps exercising more, eating healthier and drinking less, let us at Maxwell Hodge offer some other considerations for 2020: Make a new Will or review your existing one,…

Deciding to get help with care is a stressful time. Placing yourself or a loved one in care is a difficult decision that often comes at a time when you do not have time to consider the legalities of care services.

Getting Organised (Legally speaking!) with Maxwell Hodge

Clients often have questions about Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) – they may not be entirely clear what a LPA is, why one might be needed and when they should apply for one.

96% of people in the North West leave important health and welfare decisions to chance By 2025, more than 13 million people who are at risk of mental incapacity will not be prepared 73% would like a family member to make medical and care decisions on their behalf, in the event of mental incapacity 78%…

If you have registered either an Lasting Power of Attorney or an Enduring Power of Attorney between the dates 1st April 2013 to 31st March 2017 then either the Donor or the Attorney can apply to the Office of Public Guardian for a refund of fees.

We have recently helped clients whose late Mother had made a Will however had not gifted in equal shares to her children. The Will provided a payment of £1,000 to adult child 1 and the residue of the Estate (the remainder of the net Estate) was to be split between adult children 2 and 3….

Local solicitor Andrea Ashton from Maxwell Hodge Solicitors, who have 8 offices across Wirral and Merseyside has joined fellow members of Solicitors for the Elderly in warning against proposals to turn the LPA registration process fully digital.

There are approximately 20 million animals kept as pets in the UK. One in every two households in the UK have at least one pet.

In their 2015 election manifesto the Conservative party pledged to take the family home out of tax by increasing the effective inheritance tax threshold for married couples and civil partners to £1million.

In spite of overwhelming protest from solicitors, the government are pressing ahead with a massive hike in probate fees to prop up a struggling court system. For estates worth more than £50,000, fees will increase from the current flat rate of £155 to between £300 and £20,000 depending on the value of the estate.