Estate Planning Insights

How Estate Planning Referral Partnerships Work for Mortgage Brokers and Estate Agents
3 September 2026•
8 min read

How Estate Planning Referral Partnerships Work for Mortgage Brokers and Estate Agents

A plain overview for mortgage brokers, estate agents and other professional introducers: the client conversations that signal an estate planning need, what a consent-led introduction looks like, where the boundaries sit between your role and ours, and what we will and will not promise about how a partnership works.

Professional PartnershipsReferralsMortgage Brokers
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Care Fees and the Family Home in 2026: What the Means Test Actually Says
1 September 2026•
12 min read

Care Fees and the Family Home in 2026: What the Means Test Actually Says

A factual guide to England's social care means test for 2026 to 2027: the capital limits, when the value of a home must be disregarded, how the 12-week property disregard and deferred payment agreements work, and what the deliberate deprivation of assets rules really say about gifting or placing a home in trust.

Care FeesFamily HomeSocial Care
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Blended Families and Wills: Second Marriages, Stepchildren and the Gaps the Law Leaves
29 August 2026•
9 min read

Blended Families and Wills: Second Marriages, Stepchildren and the Gaps the Law Leaves

Second marriages, stepchildren and children from more than one relationship sit awkwardly with rules written for a simpler family. This guide explains what the intestacy rules do and do not cover, why getting married cancels an earlier Will, and how life interest arrangements are sometimes used to balance a new partner against children from a first relationship.

WillsBlended FamiliesStepchildren
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LPA Registration Fees and Timing in 2026: What It Costs and How Long It Takes
25 August 2026•
7 min read

LPA Registration Fees and Timing in 2026: What It Costs and How Long It Takes

Registering a lasting power of attorney with the Office of the Public Guardian costs £92 per LPA, with a 50 percent reduction or a full exemption available in defined circumstances. Here is what the fee covers, who pays less, how long GOV.UK says registration takes, and when an LPA can actually be used.

Lasting Power of AttorneyOffice of the Public GuardianFees
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Why Passing Down the Family Home Is Getting More Complicated
12 August 2026•
7 min read

Why Passing Down the Family Home Is Getting More Complicated

Blended families, adult children living far apart and property values that have climbed well beyond expectations are making the family home the hardest asset to pass on. Here is how to plan ahead, put your wishes in writing and spare your children months of uncertainty.

WillsFamily HomeProperty Trusts
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Probate Fees Have Risen to £526 on Estates Over £5,000: What Executors Need to Know in 2026
10 August 2026•
7 min read

Probate Fees Have Risen to £526 on Estates Over £5,000: What Executors Need to Know in 2026

From 13 July 2026 the probate application fee in England and Wales rose from £300 to £526 for estates over £5,000, a 75 percent increase, while estates of £5,000 or under remain exempt. Here is what the new fee covers, how long applications are taking and how executors can keep the process moving.

ProbateExecutorsBereavement Support
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Pensions and Inheritance Tax: What the April 2027 Change Means for Your Estate Plan
7 August 2026•
8 min read

Pensions and Inheritance Tax: What the April 2027 Change Means for Your Estate Plan

From 6 April 2027, most unused pension funds and pension death benefits will count as part of your estate for inheritance tax. Here is what the Finance Act 2026 change means, what stays outside it, and the practical steps to take before it starts.

Inheritance TaxPensionsWills
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Personal Injury Trusts: Protecting Your Compensation and Your Benefits
5 August 2026•
8 min read

Personal Injury Trusts: Protecting Your Compensation and Your Benefits

A personal injury trust can protect compensation in means-tested benefit and care-funding assessments. Learn how temporary disregards work, why timing matters, and what the 2026 High Court decision confirmed.

Personal Injury TrustsTrustsMeans-Tested Benefits
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Received an Inheritance? Your Options, Including Trusts and Deeds of Variation
3 August 2026•
7 min read

Received an Inheritance? Your Options, Including Trusts and Deeds of Variation

An inheritance brings decisions as well as money. From deeds of variation within two years of the death to protecting assets in trust and updating your own Will, here are the options worth understanding before you spend a penny.

InheritanceDeed of VariationTrusts
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Why Your Business Needs a Lasting Power of Attorney
29 March 2025•
7 min read

Why Your Business Needs a Lasting Power of Attorney

A Business LPA protects your company's continuity if you become unable to make decisions. Discover why it's crucial for owners, directors, and partners, and how AIB Estate Planning ensures it's done right.

Business LPALasting Power of AttorneyBusiness Continuity
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What is Lasting Power of Attorney?
17 March 2025•
6 min read

What is Lasting Power of Attorney?

A Lasting Power of Attorney is a vital legal document that allows someone to make decisions on your behalf if you become unable to do so. Learn why it's essential and how AIB Estate Planning ensures it's set up correctly.

Lasting Power of AttorneyLegal ProtectionEstate Planning
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Why You Need a Will (And Why DIY Isn't Always Best)
7 March 2025•
6 min read

Why You Need a Will (And Why DIY Isn't Always Best)

Discover the crucial reasons for having a legally valid Will and understand the potential pitfalls of DIY options compared to professional guidance from AIB Estate Planning.

WillsEstate PlanningIntestacy
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