In England and Wales, stepchildren’s inheritance rights are more limited than many families realise. A stepchild may expect to inherit after years of family life, only to discover that they do not automatically have the same inheritance rights as a biological or adopted child. That gap between expectations and the legal position is often where blended family will disputes and disinherited stepchild claims begin. Why stepchild disputes often happen in blended families Stepchild disputes often happen because family […]
If you have been told you may have either a proprietary estoppel claim or an Inheritance Act claim, it is important to understand the difference between them. Although both are used in inheritance disputes, they address different situations and rely on different types of evidence. The strongest claim will depend on the facts of the case and what you are trying to prove. This blog looks at how the two claims differ, […]
Medical records are often important when someone’s mental capacity to make or change a will is disputed. They can help show what was recorded about the person’s health, memory and understanding around the time the will was made. They can provide important evidence when the court is assessing capacity. The legal test for testamentary capacity Anyone making a new will or changing an existing one must have testamentary capacity. The established test from Banks v Goodfellow [1870] requires that the person making the will must […]
Most families do not know every detail of a person’s finances. However, they often know enough to notice when something appears to be missing from an estate. There may be a straightforward explanation. An account may have been closed, spent, transferred or held jointly. However, even one missing account or investment can affect what beneficiaries receive, which is why hidden assets can become the focus of a probate dispute. Signs assets may have been […]
Losing a loved one is always difficult, but things can get even more complicated when a business forms part of the estate. A family business inheritance dispute is often about more than money. The people involved may be relatives, business partners, and employees at the same time. That can make disputes over control, shares, company information, and the estate harder to resolve. Are business shares part of the estate? If the person who died […]
It is not unusual for a testator to leave money or property to someone who looked after them when they needed extra support with daily living. But if a carer inherits a large part of the estate, it can raise questions about whether the gift was a genuine mark of gratitude, or something more concerning. A carer inheritance dispute is not decided by whether the gift feels fair to the deceased’s family. The key […]
Can Lifetime Gifts Be Recovered Into the Estate? Inheritance disputes centred on lifetime gifts are not uncommon. Many people give away assets during their lifetime, but problems often arise after death when beneficiaries relying on a will discover that property has already been transferred, savings moved, or valuable assets given away. For families, the issue is not just what was left behind, but what is missing. The legal route you take depends on how […]
Why late changes to a will raise concerns People are legally entitled to change their minds about what they leave to whom. But a last minute will change can naturally raise eyebrows – and suspicions. The issue is often not so much the timing in isolation, but the combination of circumstances. Perhaps the late amendments came on top of the person being seriously unwell or increasingly dependent on one person. Or the terms of the will are […]
Estates involving overseas property are among the most complicated to deal with. The moment a house or apartment abroad enters the picture, you are no longer dealing with one legal system but potentially two, each with its own rules on who inherits, how the will is treated, and what an English court can actually do. Families often find themselves managing parallel proceedings in different countries, spending significantly more than they anticipated, and […]
When someone dies, most people expect the will to reflect what they knew of that person’s wishes. When it does not, you want to understand why. You start digging into how the will was prepared, only to find that the solicitor’s file is no longer there. That can feel like the door closing before you have even started. But the absence of those records is not the setback it might […]
Finding out that a relative changed or made a will while in hospital or a care home can raise doubts, especially if the new document is significantly different from what they said they wanted in the past. If you are in this position and something does not add up, it may be worth digging deeper. A will made in a care setting is not invalid for that reason alone. But […]
When a beneficiary witnesses a will, it’s natural to wonder what that means for the estate. Does it make the whole document invalid? Or does it automatically open the door to a will challenge? In some cases, the effect is limited. In others, the surrounding circumstances may matter more than the witnessing itself. The key is understanding which situation you are dealing with. Does witnessing a will invalidate the gift? Yes. Under Section 15 of the Wills Act […]
Will claim Solicitors, specialist no win no fee will dispute and will contest Solicitors consider the new case Fernandez v Fernandez and others [2025] EWHC 2373 (Ch) which provides ground rules governing the removal of Executors and Trustees in Will dispute and Will contest claims Fernandez v Fernandez [2025]: When Family Conflict Justifies Removing an Executor Family breakdowns after a death can quickly turn an inheritance dispute into a complex and expensive court battle. The recent case […]
Will claim Solicitors, specialist no win no fee will dispute and will contest Solicitors consider the new case Jenkins and Vooght v Evans [2025] EWHC 2438 (Ch) which shows how a Will challenge or Will contest dispute can turn into a financial disaster Jenkins and Vooght v Evans [2025]: A Costly Lesson in How to Contest a Will When families fall out over a will, emotions often outweigh economics. The High Court’s decision in Jenkins and Vooght v Evans [2025] EWHC 2438 (Ch) is […]
Will claim Solicitors, specialist no win no fee will dispute and will contest Solicitors consider the new case Karim v Steele and Quinn where the Will was overturned for undue influence Undue Influence in Will Disputes: Lessons from Karim v Steele & Quinn [2025] Contesting a will can be complex, particularly when there are suspicions that the person making the will (the testator) was pressured or manipulated. A recent High […]
Will claim Solicitors, specialist no win no fee will dispute and will contest Solicitors consider the new case Cockell v Cockell and others [2025] EWHC 2490 (Ch) which shows how jointly owned property can undermine a claim for financial provision Adult Child Claims Under the Inheritance Act: Lessons from Cockell v Cockell [2025] EWHC 2490 (Ch) When a person dies leaving little or nothing to an adult child, questions often arise […]
Will claim Solicitors, specialist no win no fee will dispute and will contest Solicitors consider the new case Karim v Steele and Quinn where the Will was overturned for undue influence Undue Influence in Will Disputes: Lessons from Karim v Steele & Quinn [2025] Contesting a will can be complex, particularly when there are suspicions that the person making the will (the testator) was pressured or manipulated. A recent High Court […]
Will claim Solicitors, specialist no win no fee will dispute and will contest Solicitors provide a comprehensive guide to contesting or disputing a Will in England and Wales Will Claims and Inheritance Disputes: How to Contest a Will in the UKInheritance disputes are rising sharply in the UK, with nearly 10,000 will contests each year. Factors like second marriages, blended families, dementia, and pandemic-era video wills are driving more disagreements […]
Will claim Solicitors, specialist no win no fee will dispute and will contest Solicitors provide a summary of the commons mistakes, pitfalls and tops tips in relation to will disputes and will contest claims How to Contest a Will: Common Mistakes, Pitfalls and Top TipsContesting a will can be an emotional and complicated process. Whether you feel you have been unfairly left out or promised an inheritance that never materialised, […]
Will claim Solicitors, specialist no win no fee will dispute and will contest Solicitors consider “secret trusts” in will dispute and will contest claims Secret Trusts in Inheritance Disputes and Will Contest Claims When families face an inheritance dispute, emotions often run high and the law can seem confusing. One particularly complex area involves secret trusts—arrangements that do not appear on the face of a will but may still be […]
