Many of us believe that our next of kin will automatically be able to make medical decisions for us if something unfortunate were to happen, but this isn’t entirely true.

LPAs came into place in 2007, but before then Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs) were available instead. There is no need to worry if you have an EPA, rather than an LPA, as correctly made EPAs are still perfectly valid.

According to a recent report, another result of the Coronavirus pandemic will be falling markets and a decrease in house prices. Which will have an affect not just on those looking to buy and sell their own homes, but also Executors and Administrators of estates for family or friends that have sadly passed.

Like many people across the country, I recently suffered a family bereavement from Coronavirus. Unable to attend the funeral at the time due to lockdown restrictions, I had the strange experience of watching a live-streamed service from afar.

Although we have a national reach, Tozers LLP is a Devon law firm at heart, and the welfare of our clients and the local community are at the centre of what we do. As we start to see the lifting of the Coronavirus restrictions, it is important to reflect on the impact that the virus has had on Devon, and how as a county we can work together to move forward in the future.

The rules and regulations surrounding attending funerals have been in the minds of many over the recent months, both due to the tragic increases in family members passing away and the lockdown restrictions in place.

For those of us who are having to deal with tragic loss and then the administration of a loved one’s estate, surely, then, the Revenue would permit us some breathing space on the usual Inheritance Tax filing deadlines?

If you run your company by yourself, perhaps as a sole director and shareholder, your hard work in building up your business will have cost you many hours of time and sleepless nights. But have you set up your company in such a way to allow it to keep trading after your death?

The experience of caring for and seeing a parent or other loved one suffer for a prolonged period in the final stages of life, even when the grief has passed, causes many individuals to want their journey to be managed differently.

Death, mental incapacity and old age are topics which can make people feel uncomfortable. It is important to remember, though, that preparations made whilst you are well enough to make decisions for yourself can make life far easier for you, and your family, later in life.

Many business-owners will already be aware of the potentially valuable relief which can be used to shield businesses from Inheritance Tax. But are all business-owners aware of the traps which may endanger its availability?

Although no one relishes the idea of losing the ability to manage their financial affairs themselves, putting in place the appropriate measures whilst you are still able can save a lot of time and cost further down the line.