4 May 2016 Author: Stephen Breen Many of the great literary heroines and heroes inherited vast fortunes which would have attracted a substantial inheritance tax bill today. Ruth Emery for The Sunday Times (1st May) has calculated exactly how much the taxman would have taken from the inheritance of five of our literary favourites, had […]
Minimise Inheritance Tax With a Trust
4 May 2016 Author: Stephen Breen Recently the papers have been talking about various methods that politicians have been using to ensure they pay as little inheritance tax as possible. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair used an ‘interest in possession’ trust to handle part of his estate – while Chancellor George Osborne admitted that he […]
The Bank of Mum and Dad Open For Business
12 May 2016 Author: Stephen Breen A report by the Centre for Economics & Business Research and Legal & General reveals that parents contribute more than £5 billion a year to their children’s house purchases. If you’re considering helping your child take their first step on the housing ladder, there are a few things you’ll […]
Helping Your Child Buy Their First Home
12 May 2016 Author: Stephen Breen Soaring house prices mean that 62% of first time buyers need assistance – usually from the Bank of Mum and Dad – to get a foot on the housing ladder. Figures published by the Council of Mortgage Lenders show that nearly two thirds of first-time buyers would not be […]
The True Cost of Purchasing a Buy-to-Let Flat
2 Jun 2016 Author: Stephen Breen A number of changes to regulation coupled with soaring house prices have made buying an investment property for your student children a less attractive prospect. Historically, helping your children out with student accommodation has meant good returns. The property can be rented to a number of students, subsidising the […]
New House Price Index Helps You Get A Better Deal
23 Jun 2016 Author: Stephen Breen A new UK price index that has been created by the Land Registry will help you find out the average house prices for the area you’re buying or selling in. Until now, finding average house prices for a particular area has been difficult, with no less than six national […]
How To Sell Your Home
Whether you’re selling a home for the first time or you’ve already climbed a few rungs on the housing ladder, here’s how to get the best price with the least possible fuss. Price realistically Surveying asking prices in the local area will give you an unrealistic picture of the market condition. To see what’s selling […]
First Time Buyers Get On The Housing Ladder
With the prospect of owning your first property on the horizon, it might be tempting to wait until the election to see if a new government brings with it new incentives aimed at first time buyers. Hesitance right now could be ill-advised, however: whilst some areas have experienced slow growth and others have seen prices […]
Time For Grandparents To Lend A Hand
If you’re thinking of leaving a gift to your grandchildren in your Will, it might be time to reevaluate your goals. With more young people than ever before struggling to get a foot on the housing ladder, an early gift from a grandparent could help your grandchild become a homeowner – and save on inheritance […]
Mortgages Arrears at a Record Low
18-August-2016 Figures released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) show that mortgage repossessions are at an all-time low. In the three months leading up to the end of June this year, there were 92,500 mortgages in arrears of at least 2.5% of the balance – 13.4% lower compared to the same period last year, […]
Get A One Year Mortgage
Those struggling to sell their home may find the new range of one-year mortgage deals a helpful way to fund their plans. A number of building societies are offering one year deals, allowing those who have already found a new property to move, before selling their existing one. In the past, the only finance option […]
Inherited ISA Allowance: A Valuable Tax Break
27 Mar 2017 Author: Stephen Breen When a loved one dies, perhaps the last thing on your mind is what happens to their ISA – but there is a useful tax break that is worth knowing about. Since April 2015, spouses and civil partners of ISA holders have been able to inherit an extra ISA […]
Should You Switch From Help to Buy ISA or LISA
23 Mar 2017 Author: Stephen Breen The new Lifetime ISA (LISA) is just around the corner – but those who already opened a Help to Buy ISA might be wondering whether or not to switch. Here are the key similarities and differences between the two types of ISA: Purpose The purpose of a LISA is […]
The Cohabitation Dilemma
27 Feb 2017 Author: Stephen Breen When you and your partner decide to buy your first property together, the last thing on your mind will be a break up. But to think this will never happen to anyone in your situation would be naïve. Purchasing a house together – whether as partners, friends or siblings […]
The Dangers of Driving When the Sun is Low
13 Feb 2017 Author: Stephanie Howard In this article, we look at the steps you can take to avoid the risk of ‘sun glare’, ‘sun dazzle’ or ‘low sun’ and what you should do if you are injured in an accident where this was a factor. When you consider what conditions might contribute to a […]
Inheritance Tax Revenues Soar
22-May-2017 HM Revenue and Customs have reported a monthly record of £483 million in inheritance tax revenue for March. In 2016-17 a total of around £4.8 billion was collected in Inheritance Tax – double the amount taken in 2002-2003. So what can a person do to reduce their inheritance tax bill? Gifting allowances Many people […]
Rise in Probate Fees Scrapped Ahead of Snap Election
21-April-2017 The Government has scrapped controversial plans to raise the cost of probate fees ahead of this June’s general election. Probate fees in England and Wales had been due to rise from £155 (if using a solicitor) or £215 to up to £20,000 for some estate. The Ministry of Justice said, following the surprise news […]
This is Me Leaflet Available From Breens Solicitors
13-March-2017 Breens Solicitors is backing the Alzheimer’s Society efforts to help people with dementia retain their sense of self and identity. The Alzheimer’s Society-produced leaflet, This is Me, allows a person with dementia to complete or have a relative or friend complete for them, details about their background, routines and personality. The four page booklet […]
Video Game to Beat Dementia
24-February-2017 A US laboratory is developing video games that could help treat a range of health conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease. Akili Interactive Labs currently makes two games designed to treat ADHD and depression, both of which are currently undergoing clinical trials. The project was co-founded with PureTech Health which is listed on the London Stock […]
Planning For The Inevitable
10 May 2016 Author: Stephen Breen 2016 has seen a string of deaths amongst well-loved celebrities including Terry Wogan, David Bowie, Victoria Wood, Paul Daniels, Ronnie Corbett and Prince. Some of these deaths seem untimely – Prince was just 57 for example, while Victoria Wood just 62 and David Bowie just 69. When people we […]
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