I am often contacted by adult children - this job tends to fall to daughters - who ask "Should I get power of attorney for my parents?" It is also a frequently-Googled question. My answer is always "Yes, if it is still possible." The classic use of powers of attorney is for dementia sufferers. According... Continue Reading →
Organ donations become “opt out” instead of “opt in”
On 20 May 2020, the law in relation to organ donation in England is going to change. At present, we have an "opt in" system, whereby would-be donors must register on the NHS Organ Donor Register in order to signify that they would be prepared to make a donation in suitable circumstances. However, from 20th... Continue Reading →
V. E. Day Celebrations in Seer Green, Beaconsfield
V.E. Day Celebrations and Tortoise in Seer Green There was a wonderful, sunny V. E. Day celebration taking place in Seer Green, Beaconsfield today, with neighbours chatting and mingling (from a distance, of course), bunting everywhere and glasses of fizz and cake galore. I was entertained to see this lovely pet tortoise legging it down... Continue Reading →
New Inheritance Tax Relief Available To NHS Workers Who Die From Covid 19
A 100% relief from inheritance tax which was previously available to members of the Armed Forces and was more recently extended to "blue light" workers in 2015 has now been made available to emergency services workers in the NHS who die from coronavirus in the line of duty. However, a lack of awareness of this... Continue Reading →
New Advice for Deputies and Attorneys during Coronavirus
The Office of the Public Guardian has recently published some new guidance and advice for deputies and attorneys about how they should use their powers during the coronavirus outbreak. This is a particularly difficult area, because often attorneys and deputies will be acting on behalf of older people, many of whom will have accompanying medical... Continue Reading →
Your Right to Refuse Treatment – making a Living Will or Advance Decision
A Living Will or Advance Decision is a document in which you set out that, under certain circumstances, you refuse consent to the giving or continuation of certain forms of medical treatment. Seldom has this potentially been so relevant to so many of us as now, during the Coronavirus pandemic. What does a Living Will... Continue Reading →
Put someone you trust in control, if you lose capacity to run your own affairs
Here's my article about Lasting Power of Attorney, published recently on http://www.sixtyplusurfers.co.uk/health-and-wellbeing/, which is a remarkably entertaining online magazine for over 60s! Whilst you're there, it also has some very good, contemporary content about the challenges of self-isolation and working from home. By Rebecca D’Arcy, Chiltern Wills Now could be the perfect time to get... Continue Reading →
Second Marriage Typical Will
What does a second marriage typical Will look like? Many clients who are married for the second time tend to put off making a Will, because it seems too complicated to try and balance the interests of their new spouse with those of their children from their first marriage, and also potentially those from a... Continue Reading →