Meeting points

STEP Spring Conference

Date: May 2016
Location: London
Reported by: Geraint Jones

Speakers reported
Professor Lesley King: LK Law Ltd
Stephen Lawson: Forshaws Davies Ridgway
Lucy Obrey: Higgs & Sons
Chris Whitehouse: 5 Stone Buildings

Appointing an executor

Lucy Obrey warned about financial abuse in a deceased’s estate highlighting powers of attorney lifetime gifting undue influence over wills and misselling as particular areas of concern.

She also stressed the importance of having more than one executor not appointing older executors or those in ill health and the need to review the position regularly.

On wills she said a new one is needed when people marry because a marriage invalidates a will.

Time limit

Steven Lawson warned of the dangers of executors distributing from an estate before the time limit for an application under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act 1975. That deadline is six...