I’m a pretty relaxed individual, but over the last year, there have been enough things going on in the world of Wills & Probate to make me rant.
The issues which have made me particularly grumpy, are:
- Residential Nil Rate Band (RNRB)
- Proposed increase of Probate fees
The RNRB really got me going. I wrote a LinkedIn article, appealing to Mrs May. I even wrote to her at 10 Downing Street. And when the official response made me feel my points had been missed, I wrote to her again.
The proposed increase of Probate fees was at least as outrageous, and sure enough, it was actually challenged, on the basis that the increases were so disproportionate, that they amounted to a tax. As the official challenge was being dealt with, long after many Probate specialists had worked into the evenings and through weekends in April, the election was declared, and surprise surprise, the increased Probate fees would not be going ahead. For now.
I do feel cross to think that these issues have demonstrated a lack of thought, and the approach seems to be that complexity is better than simplicity.
My biggest issue with the RNRB is not that I as merely an Aunty (not a parent) am eliminated from the benefit, but that it was an opportunity to simplify, but it has only introduced complexity. All informed professionals agree that the opportunity was to simply increase our existing Nil Rate Band, rather than introduce complicated rules which will necessarily require increased fees to clients, to explain the complexities and how they apply to particular circumstances.
My big issue with the increased Probate fees which are thankfully not going ahead for now, other than the obvious problem of it being a tax that had not received parliamentary consent, was this. It should clearly have been stated as relating to deaths which occurred after a particular date, rather than to applications which were submitted by informed but still grieving families, before a particular date. That, in my opinion, was morally wrong, and surely caused additional pressure on a lot of families during the month of April 2017, when there was no clear direction. Unforgivable.
Accordingly, I had to take a nice long holiday to recover from my grumpiness, and I’ll be back in my office towards the end of this month. I should be my normal cheery self by early June.
If you’d like to get in touch, to rant or reason with me, please do so on 01727 840 240.