If you’ve just binged Season 2 of Wednesday, you’ll know it’s not just the monsters that are scary, it’s the estate planning. In one eerie scene, the headmaster attempts to manipulate Grandma Addams into leaving her fortune to the school and him instead of her family. In this blog, Kelsey Jones discusses the real life issues that can arise from undue influence.

‘Contentious probate’ refers to a range of issues and disputes that may arise after someone dies. These commonly involve disagreements among family members, beneficiaries or other interested parties about who should inherit and how the estate should be distributed. If someone disputes the validity or contents of a person’s will, or challenges the administration of the deceased’s estate, they may require a contentious probate solicitor to help them.

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that allows an individual (known as the donor) to appoint one or more people (known as attorneys) to make decisions on their behalf. It is designed for situations where the donor loses the mental capacity to manage their own financial affairs or healthcare decisions, although it may apply in some cases where the person still has this capacity.

When an attorney has been appointed by a friend or family member to manage money and financial decisions on their behalf, they have a legal obligation to act in that person's best interests. A lasting power of attorney (LPA) for property and financial affairs gives the attorney a significant amount of legal authority over the donor (the person who created the LPA) that must be managed carefully.

September is World Alzheimer’s Month, with World Alzheimer’s Day falling on Sunday 21st. It’s a time to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and its profound impact, not just on individuals, but on families, communities, and the legal decisions that follow.

A statutory will is a type of will made on behalf of someone who does not have the mental capacity to make a will for themselves. The process is governed by the Mental Capacity Act 2005, which grants the Court of Protection the power to authorise the making, alteration or revocation of a will on behalf of someone lacking capacity.

Every year, Suicide Prevention Day serves as an important reminder of the mental health challenges many face. It’s a day to raise awareness, encourage support, and highlight resources for those who may be struggling. But what happens when someone is suffering in silence, and their struggles end in tragedy? How does this intersect with contentious probate and intestacy? These legal issues may not seem directly linked to mental health at first, but they are deeply connected.

A lasting power of attorney (LPA) is a legal document that allows a person, known as the donor, to appoint one or more people (attorneys) to make decisions on their behalf if they lose the mental capacity to do so themselves. There are two types of LPA, one dealing with property and financial affairs and the other with health and welfare. Attorneys must always act in the donor’s best interests and within the scope of the powers granted to them.