Murray Beith Murray LLP is a leading Scottish private client law firm.
For 175 years we have specialised in meeting the legal, financial and administrative needs of individuals and families, family trusts, charities and private companies.
In many families, step-children are just as close to their step-parents as biological children. However, the law does not provide them with the same protections when it comes to succession. If you die without leaving a Will, the laws of intestacy will govern who inherits from your estate.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives in many ways. The pandemic has had a wide-reaching impact: from restrictions on how we live our lives to our attitudes towards wealth and finances. Estate planning has also been affected by the pandemic, with many of us being forced to consider what would happen if we were to lose a loved one suddenly. However, it has also brought into focus the importance of assessing your own circumstances with a view to planning for your future security and the security of your loved ones. In this article, we look at some of the things you may wish to consider in light of current circumstances.
A significant amount of charities’ income is made up of gifts left in Wills. Leaving a gift in your Will to a charity that you support could help them conduct vital research, or support society’s most vulnerable people. Without the support of gifts in Wills, many charities would fail to survive.
The COVID-19 pandemic has focussed thoughts on the possibility that either you or a family member might end up in hospital. It is possible to plan ahead for such an unfortunate event and record your decisions regarding medical treatment you would wish to refuse in certain situations in a document called an Advance Medical Directive (also known as a Living Will). Whereas most people are aware of the importance of putting in place a Will and a Power of Attorney, Advance Medical Directives are less well-known and can often be an invaluable document for your loved ones at a difficult time.
There are many circumstances in which you may wish or need to update your Will. However, drafting an entirely new Will is not always necessary. In this post, we look at the different circumstances where you may need to redraft your Will or add a supplementary document to amend your Will, known as a ‘codicil’.
