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Helping Families & Business Owners Build Wealth, Protect Your Legacy & Pass It On - Tax-Efficiently 🛡️ Estate Planning | Wills & Trusts | Inheritance Tax | Wealth Management.

16/10/2026

Out with the dogs at 7am this morning. Both of them found the only puddle in the field and lay in it.

Met an older chap I see on most walks. Spaniel. Flat cap. Always has a view on something.

This week's view?

"I'm leaving the lot to the dog. My son can whistle for it."

He was half joking. Only half.

They've fallen out. Haven't spoken in a couple of years.

Here's what most people don't realise.

In England and Wales, you can leave your estate to whoever you like. But certain people, including children, spouses and long-term partners, can ask the court for a share if they feel they weren't reasonably provided for.

And people are doing it more.

Disputed probate cases filed at the High Court hit 1,217 in 2025, up nearly 13% on the year before. And that's only the ones that reach the High Court.

Cutting someone out doesn't always close the door. Sometimes it opens one.

If you're going to leave someone out, or leave them less, the reasons matter. Writing them down clearly, at the time, and getting proper advice makes a challenge much harder to win.

Or, you know. Ring your son.

I didn't say that bit out loud. Thought it, though.

Comment 𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗗𝗘 and we'll send you our free estate planning guide.

www.cjsestateplanning.com

At 𝗖𝗝𝗦 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, we help people make difficult decisions about who gets what, and make sure those decisions stand up.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦.

14/10/2026

Funny conversation over dinner last night.

Friends of ours celebrating 15 years married. Lovely evening. Too much dessert.

Somehow the subject of Wills came up. Probably my fault.

"Oh, ours is done," he said. "It's in the kitchen drawer. With the takeaway menus."

His wife put her fork down.

"No it isn't. It's in the loft. In the blue folder."

"What blue folder?"

The whole table was crying laughing.

But it's a real issue.

To get probate, your executors normally need the original signed Will. Not a photocopy. Not a scan on someone's laptop.

And if the original was last known to be in your possession and can't be found, the law can assume you destroyed it on purpose. As if you meant to cancel it.

So you can do everything right, sign it properly, and still have it treated as if it never existed.

Because of a drawer.

Keep the original somewhere safe. Tell your executors where it is. Ideally somewhere that isn't next to the pizza leaflets.

They're going home to look for it. My money's on the loft.

Comment 𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗗𝗘 and we'll send you our free estate planning guide.

www.cjsestateplanning.com

At 𝗖𝗝𝗦 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, we help people make sure their Will doesn't just exist, but can actually be found and used when it matters.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦.

12/10/2026

At a networking event on Thursday, I got chatting to a bloke who runs an engineering firm.

Third generation. Started by his grandad in a lock-up garage.

When I mentioned what I do, he waved it off.

"Business assets are exempt from inheritance tax. Always have been."

Well. Not quite anymore.

Since April this year, the rules have changed.

Full 100% relief on qualifying business and agricultural property is now capped at £2.5 million per person. Anything above that only gets 50% relief, which works out at an effective 20% tax rate.

Unused allowance can pass to a spouse or civil partner, so couples have more room. Shares on AIM now only get 50% relief at all.

For plenty of smaller businesses, nothing changes.

But a firm with property, machinery and three generations of growth behind it? That £2.5 million can arrive faster than you'd think.

He went a bit quiet. Then got his phone out and messaged his accountant. At a networking event. Which is the most networking thing I've ever seen.

If your Will was written before April 2026 and you own a business, it's worth a fresh look. Not to panic. Just to check the old assumptions still hold.

Comment 𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗗𝗘 and we'll send you our free estate planning guide.

www.cjsestateplanning.com

At 𝗖𝗝𝗦 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, we help business owners make sure what they've built can actually be passed on, under today's rules, not yesterday's.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦.

09/10/2026

Took one of the dogs to the vets for her booster this week.

She hates it. Pretends she's never seen the place before, then shakes like a leaf.

The woman next to me was on the phone, trying to calm down a cat in a carrier and talk at the same time.

"No, it's fine, Mum's added me to her bank account. So it's all sorted."

After she hung up, she said it was just to make life easier. Paying Mum's bills, sorting the shopping, that sort of thing.

Sensible. Lots of families do it.

Then she said, "My brother's not thrilled about it, mind."

That's the bit worth thinking about.

When one joint account holder dies, the money usually passes straight to the other one. Outside the Will.

But if you were only added for convenience, that money may still count as Mum's. Part of her estate. To be shared the way her Will says.

Two siblings can end up with very different views on which it was.

Nobody's done anything wrong. It's just never been written down.

If the aim is helping Mum manage her money, a financial Lasting Power of Attorney does that job properly. And if Mum does want you to have the account, it's worth her saying so clearly.

The dog was fine, by the way. Treat at the counter. All forgiven.

Comment 𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗗𝗘 and we'll send you our free estate planning guide.

www.cjsestateplanning.com

At 𝗖𝗝𝗦 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, we help families who are already looking after each other make sure the paperwork matches the intention.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦.

07/10/2026

Standing on the 18th tee on Sunday when my playing partner made an announcement.

"When I go, I want my ashes scattered right here."

Then he sliced it into the trees.

"Maybe over there, actually. I've spent more time in there."

We were in bits.

On the walk up, I asked where he'd written that down.

"It's in my Will."

And that's the problem.

A Will often isn't properly looked at until after the funeral's been arranged. By then, the family's already made the decisions. And funeral wishes in a Will aren't legally binding anyway.

It matters more than people think.

SunLife's latest Cost of Dying report puts the average simple funeral at £3,828, rising to £5,140 once you add the wake, flowers and memorial. Only 42% of people had put enough aside to cover it.

And families who knew some of their loved one's wishes saved an average of £335 on the send-off.

Knowing what someone wanted takes the guesswork out of a horrible week.

So tell people. Write it somewhere they'll find quickly. Make sure there's a plan for paying for it.

And if it's a golf course, maybe check with the club first.

Comment 𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗗𝗘 and we'll send you our free estate planning guide.

www.cjsestateplanning.com

At 𝗖𝗝𝗦 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, we help people get their wishes out of their head and into the hands of the people who'll need them.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦.

06/10/2026

Dropped the car off at the garage yesterday.

The mechanic's been doing my car for years. Good bloke. Tells it straight.

While he was printing the invoice, the radio was going on about inheritance tax.

He just laughed. "That's for people with yachts, that is."

He's got a three-bed semi he bought in the late nineties. Paid off now. Bit of savings. A van.

No yacht.

Here's the thing though.

The main inheritance tax threshold has been stuck at £325,000 since 2009. It's now frozen until April 2031.

House prices haven't been frozen.

That's why inheritance tax brought in a record £8.5 billion last tax year. Not because more people bought yachts. Because ordinary houses quietly crept over a line that never moved.

There is an extra allowance of up to £175,000 when your home goes to your children or grandchildren, and married couples can pass on unused allowances to each other. So a lot of families will be fine.

But "probably fine" and "actually checked" aren't the same thing.

He went quiet for a second, then said, "I've never added it up."

Most people haven't.

Comment 𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗗𝗘 and we'll send you our free estate planning guide.

www.cjsestateplanning.com

At 𝗖𝗝𝗦 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, we help ordinary homeowners work out where they actually stand, before the taxman does it for them.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦.

02/10/2026

The gym I've joined has a pool, was sat poolside when parents and kids arrived for swimming lessons. Prime time for other parents to overshare.

The woman near to me was telling someone about her and her partner buying a house together. Not married. No plans to be, particularly.

They'd put the deposit in unevenly, her a lot more than him, but hadn't really thought about what that meant on paper.

"If something happened to him, would his share go to me, or to his family?" she said. "I genuinely don't know."

Neither did I, until she asked, at which point I had to admit I sort of do, for a living.

If you're not married and you haven't specified how you own a property together, it can default to being split evenly regardless of who actually put more money in. And without a Will, an unmarried partner has no automatic right to inherit the other's share at all.

Worth about ten minutes of paperwork to actually know where you stand.

Comment 𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗗𝗘 and we'll send you our free estate planning guide.

www.cjsestateplanning.com

At 𝗖𝗝𝗦 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, we help couples who've bought together, married or not, make sure the ownership on paper matches what they actually agreed.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦.

30/09/2026

On the ferry over to France for a few days over the summer, and got talking to a British couple who'd retired out to Spain a decade or so ago.

Nice life by the sound of it. Then the conversation turned slightly, the way these things do on a long crossing.

Turns out they had a Will drawn up in the UK years before they moved, and a separate one written locally in Spain to cover the property out there.

Neither one mentioned the other.

"Our son's a solicitor and even he wasn't sure which one would actually apply to what," she said, half laughing, half not.

Owning assets in more than one country can mean more than one legal system has an opinion about what happens to them. Two Wills that don't reference each other properly can genuinely contradict, or accidentally cancel each other out.

It needs to be looked at as one plan, not two separate ones written years apart.

Comment 𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗗𝗘 and we'll send you our free estate planning guide.

www.cjsestateplanning.com

At 𝗖𝗝𝗦 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, we help people with assets abroad make sure their UK and overseas planning actually works together, not against each other.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦.

28/09/2026

Down at the allotment at the weekend, moaning about slugs with the bloke two plots along.

He mentioned he'd just changed his Will to leave something to the hospice that looked after his mother-in-law in her final months.

"Didn't want it to just be a one-off donation while it was fresh in my mind," he said. "Wanted it to actually mean something, long term."

Fair point. Leaving a gift to charity in your Will does two things at once.

It supports something that clearly mattered to you or your family. And if the gift is a decent size, it can also reduce the rate of Inheritance Tax charged on the rest of the estate.

Not why most people do it, to be fair. Usually it's simpler than that. Something happened, it mattered, and they want it to carry on mattering.

Worth knowing it works both ways, though.

Comment 𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗗𝗘 and we'll send you our free estate planning guide.

www.cjsestateplanning.com

At 𝗖𝗝𝗦 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, we help people build charitable gifts into their Will properly, so they land the way they're meant to.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦.

25/09/2026

Sat having my hair cut this week, and my hairdresser was telling me about her mum, who'd passed away recently.

Lovely woman by all accounts. Ran a small online shop as a side hustle. Also, it turned out, had a modest amount sitting in cryptocurrency that nobody in the family knew existed until they went digging through old emails.

"We only found it because I recognised the name of an app on her phone," she said. "If I hadn't, that money would've just... vanished."

Crypto, online accounts, digital subscriptions, cloud storage full of photos. None of it shows up in a filing cabinet the way a bank statement does.

If nobody knows it exists, and nobody has the passwords or the wallet keys, it's effectively lost. Not stolen. Just unreachable.

Doesn't need anything complicated. A note of what exists and where, kept somewhere safe, is often enough.

Comment 𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗗𝗘 and we'll send you our free estate planning guide.

www.cjsestateplanning.com

At 𝗖𝗝𝗦 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, we help people account for the assets that don't come with a paper trail, digital as well as physical.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦.

Address

128 City Road
London
EC1V2NX

Telephone

+447810825250

Website

http://cjsestateplanning.com/

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