Posts by Andrew Upton
Don’t Let Your Children’s Inheritance Slip Away 🏡💷
Protect Your Family Home and Savings – Before It’s Too Late Many families worry about what will happen to their home and savings in the future. 🏠 Care fees, remarriage, and family disputes can all chip away at what you’ve worked hard for. The good news? You can take action now to protect your legacy…
Read MoreInheritance Tax: Boo! But Here’s How Charity Can Help You (And Others) 🎁
Let’s be honest – inheritance tax (IHT) isn’t exactly anyone’s favourite subject. In fact, it’s almost universally unpopular. Yet, IHT is a key tool for the government, raising a staggering £7.9 billion last year alone – even though only 4% of estates actually paid it. That’s a hefty plug in the national finances, and it’s…
Read MoreFrom Hospital Bed to EC Awards Finalist: My Business Comeback Story 🚀
A Life-Changing January On 7th January 2025, my world changed in an instant. Two sudden waves of numbness hit my face and arm. Words felt foggy. Within hours, I was in hospital. The diagnosis? Stroke. But that wasn’t all. A Full-Body Red Flag 🚩 Doctors found life-threatening blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, an…
Read MoreWills vs. Power of Attorney: Clearing Up the Confusion 🤔
It’s easy to mix up wills and powers of attorney in the UK. Many people do! You might have heard someone say, “My executor is my attorney,” or, “I’ve got a will, so I’m covered if anything happens.” If you’re unsure about the difference between wills vs power of attorney in the UK, you’re not…
Read MoreWhat Is a Flexible Life Interest Trust? 🦸♂️
A Flexible Life Interest Trust (FLIT) is a powerful way to protect your assets – like savings, investments, and additional property – for your loved ones. At Beacon Advice, we usually use a Flexible Life Interest Trust alongside a Property Protection Trust, which separately protects each person’s share of the main home. The FLIT takes…
Read MoreMyExecutor Box: Make Life Easier for Your Family 🗝️
Being an Executor Is Never Simple 😰 When someone passes away, the paperwork can feel endless. Documents are often missing. Accounts might be forgotten. Executors are left searching. Families are left waiting. Stress builds quickly. 💼 Why MyExecutor Box Was Created 💡 For years, a better solution was sought. Most portals felt clunky or insecure.…
Read More🏡 Protecting Your Home for the Next Generation: Why Consider a Property Protection Trust?
For many of us, our home isn’t just our biggest asset—it’s the heart of our family and a reward for decades of hard work. That’s why considering a property protection trust is so important for anyone who wants to safeguard their legacy. We grew up being told to buy property, live within our means, and…
Read MoreWhy DIY Wills Fall Short: Dementia, Disputes & Defending Your Wishes 🧠✍️
Dementia Is Rising—So Are Will Disputes Dementia is one of the UK’s fastest-growing health challenges. The NHS recently reported a record number of dementia diagnoses in England. As our population ages, more families face not only the heartbreak of dementia but also unexpected legal battles over Wills. Why does this matter? Dementia affects a person’s…
Read MoreIntestacy in England & Wales: Why 1 in 11 Families Face Extra Stress After a Death—and How to Avoid It
What Is Intestacy? 🤔 When someone dies without a valid Will, their estate falls under the rules of intestacy. As a result, the law decides who inherits, not you. In 2023/24, there were 51,136 applications for Letters of Administration in England and Wales. That’s 9% of all registered deaths—almost 1 in 11 families left to…
Read MoreOver-65s Hold £2.9 Trillion in Property Wealth: How to Protect Your Legacy
Unlocking Property Wealth for Over-65s 🏡✨ Did you know that over-65s in the UK hold a staggering £2.9 trillion in property wealth outright? 🏠 This incredible figure reflects a lifetime of hard work and dedication. However, without proper planning, this wealth could face risks like inheritance tax, family disputes, or inefficient distribution. At Beacon Advice,…
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