08458622214

To all Readers - Estate Planning & Trust information:

There are good trusts and there are bad trusts. Good trusts are part of a process used by legitimate estate planners and their clients to control the disposition of assets, avoid probate, reduce administration costs, save estate taxes, and preserve family wealth for future generations. This article is not about the good trusts. It is about bad trusts.

Companies that churn out “standard” living trusts or any other kind of trusts sell their services in seminars, and by telesales without any concern for your overall estate plan, these companies often try to sell you a trust in a “one-size-fits-all” package. This can have a detrimental affect on your estate plan and may result in the transfer of property to the wrong heirs, while costing you a great deal of money in preparing the trust agreement, in some cases, more than £2000, although this is even above the odds.

In most cases, such companies purport to use the services of an Solicitor, but usually, the Solicitor is only a front man for the company and does not play any part in the creation of your estate plan or trust. Also, such companies often make false claims about the benefits of a trust, in particular, they exaggerate the beneficial effect of a trust when it comes to asset protection,
Deceptive trust companies can be spotted in a number of ways:

They often sell trusts through seminars or through telesales offering free advice with arranged home visits, without giving you any way to check the credentials of the sales person or company. When they visit you at your home they may remove paperwork, leaving you with very little to look at or investigate.

Watch out for “sound alike” names confusing their services.

FINAL WORDS OF ADVICE – Any trust should be created only after a thorough review of your tax, estate, and personal goals. You need to talk with a team of professionals perhaps an accountant or financial advisor to make an informed decision on whether to create a trust.

You can’t take it with you and you can’t change your mind, so draw up a professional will and trust.

Thankyou for reading.

KW

To all Readers, please be sure that you are protecting your assets correctly. Go to a reputable Solicitor or Professional Will Writer within the IPW.

Deprivation of capital
If you give away your property or savings deliberately in order to avoid paying for your care home costs, this is called ‘deprivation of capital’. The Department for Work and Pensions and the council are entitled to take account of this capital as if it were still owned by you, and can seek to make you pay the care home fees accordingly.

Some of the ways in which you may be considered to have deprived yourself of capital include:
*Giving away money
*Transferring the ownership of property, or
*Spending your capital on something not necessary, for example, an expensive painting.

Both the Department for Work and Pensions and the council must look at your reasons for giving the capital away and when you gave it away. For example, if you gave each of your grandchildren some money three years before you needed care, it may be unreasonable for the council to assume that you gave the money away in order to avoid paying care home fees. However, if you signed your property over to your son two weeks before you went into a care home, the council might decide that you did so in order to avoid having to pay the care home fees.

There is no time-limit on how far back the council can look at what they consider to be ‘deliberate’ deprivation of capital.

For more information on the above, please contact the DWP or your local council. Don't be fooled into making a costly error in having it protected, only to have it taken away after all. It's imperative that you receive the correct advice.

Thankyou for reading.

KW

Been cold calling, by phone to elderly people in metheringham lincolnshire......Avoid/Ignore.

To all Readers, please read the article below which was featured in yesterdays Daily Express:

Q: Will a Trust Fund Avoid Care Costs?

My wife and I are both in our 70s, with two grown-up children. Is it a good idea to put our liquid assets and house into a trust fund to protect against possible future care home fees?
I was cold called by a Sheffield-based legal company. I don't normally have anything to do with cold calls, but when my father went into a care home some years ago he had to pay out substantial fees, which broke his heart.
I agreed to see a rep of the company who was not a solicitor but part of a franchise system. The cost, at £4,100, seems very high and they want the money up front.
Should we get other quotations?

A: Jonathan Hill, who is a certified financial planner at the Solicitors Milford & Dormor, of Chard, Somerset, says:

"Local Authorities have strict rules which allow them to disregard any schemes which they deem to be deliberately arranged so as to avoid care fees.
The sum you have been quoted is a substantial amount of money to part with following a cold call from a firm you have not had dealings with in the past, my suggestions would be to speak to a local solicitor who is a member of solicitors for the elderly (SFE) and for you and your family to review the very helpful Alzheimer's Society short changed report."

The full story can be found at: http://www.cashquestions.com/threads/13953-Sh ... ight=trust+fund 

Thankyou for reading.

KW

To all Readers, finally some Protection for the Elderly and Vulnerable!

Will-writing rogues get regulated
By Andrew Penman on April 25, 2012 11:00 PM in Investments

At last people wanting a will drawn up are to have some protection from the rogues infesting this industry.

The Legal Services Board has announced that everyone who writes wills must now
be regulated. The decision follows an investigation by the board, which said it had uncovered "systemic problems".

"We found consistent patterns of sloppiness, simple errors and poor communication," it said. "Too often consumers were subjected to unfair sales practices.

"There have also been some well-documented examples of fraud and deception."

Maybe they have in mind habitual wills conman Gerald Barton. When we came across him 10 years ago, he'd been running the will-writing company JHD Associates, which collapsed, and thousands of wills were dumped in a barn.

His Nationwide Legal Services firm was shut down, the High Court hearing that it was
"scandalously run to the huge detriment of the public".

And last year his Minster Legal Services of Gainsborough, Lincs, went under and this time boxes of wills were dumped in the street. Regulation can't come too soon for the likes of him.

Chairman of the Legal Services Board, David Edmonds, said: "Ultimately, people must be able to write a will with confidence, not fear. For that to be possible, everyone offering such services must deliver a baseline of consumer protection. This is not about extending regulation for the sake of it; it is about maintaining public confidence in an important legal process; enhancing the environment for reputable providers; and protecting consumers at particularly vulnerable times in their lives.

http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigations/2012 ... get-regula.html

Thankyou for reading.

KW

To all Readers, in addition to our last post, the press release from The Legal Service Board: http://www.legalservicesboard.org.uk/news_pub ... lease_final.pdf

Thankyou for reading.

KW

To all Readers, the below comment is from: https://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/02076924929

Patricia Evans - 1 May 2012

I feel that I have now been conned by IPS, I paid 1900,in Novermber last year to protect my home should I need to go into care.
I have had no end of problems and am now unable to make contact with them, as the phone line is permanently on voicemail.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Caller: Inheritance & Probate Solutions
----

Thankyou for reading.

KW

16.05.2012

Beware of a company calling itself:  INHERITANCE & PROBATE SOLUTIONS Ltd

It is common knowledge that elderly people worry about losing their home if they have to go into care. My 88 year old father has fretted about this possibility for several years, so when he was cold-called last week by someone from the above company, offering a seemingly watertight solution, he didn’t hesitate to arrange a meeting. Although my father misguidedly didn’t inform any of the family about his intentions, he did have the presence of mind to not engage in any financial transactions at that point, but instead agreed to a further meeting two days later (and to which I was fortunately invited to attend).
The IPS representative (Paul Gorman) duly arrived and immediately embarked into a slick and polished patter, identifying all the concerns experienced by an elderly population. To anyone not quite so trusting as my father, it was patently obvious that PG’s information was drawn solely from copies of newspaper headlines and printed materials, which had all been downloaded from the internet, and which were displayed in basic plastic wallets. He carried with him no professional documentation or paperwork relating to his company, and when pressed about this, simply apologised for forgetting to pack them! Upon further questioning it became evident that the whole exercise was a sham and that the expectation had been for my father to ‘sign up’ and simply hand over a cheque for £1995.                                                                                     Once it had been established that no financial transaction was actually about to take place, PG informed my father that there would naturally be a charge for this meeting (which had previously not been mentioned). On our refusal to pay anything he promptly left.
Having since researched this allegedly legitimate company on the internet I have been able to acquire information about their numerous disreputable dealings. My family and I are outraged that decent, honest, elderly people are being targeted and preyed upon by such low-life and that nothing in law appears to prevent such events happening again and again to more vulnerable parties.
We are currently informing both Trading Standards Offices in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire (the latter is apparently keen to pursue complaints about IPS). We also intend to inform our local press, as well as Consumer Direct (a Government customer advice service).
The whole affair has left my father shaken and distressed. He has been mortified and emasculated by the experience and remains fearful of future callers. Please advise all elderly relatives and friends to remain vigilant and to NEVER enter into either monetary conversations or financial transactions with strangers, however legitimate their sales pitches might appear.

LML Thankyou for your comments. It's unfortunate that most elderly people do not have access to the internet so are not aware of such matters. It is the responsibility of us all to protect them.

We appreciate your addition to this forum and to the campaign in Protecting the Elderly and Vulnerable.

To find out further information, about where it all started, do not hesitate to contact us at wewillgivefreeadvice@hotmail.co.uk as forearmed is forewarned.

Please keep spreading the word.

Thankyou for reading.

KW

To all Readers, information about Inheritance & Probate Solutions Limited based in Newark and Sleaford:

AP01    11/04/2012    DIRECTOR APPOINTED MR BRUCE MALCOLM SEMLEY
TM01    14/04/2012    APPOINTMENT TERMINATED, DIRECTOR JEANNETTE VARSZEGI-HASTE
http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/0954439b913 ... cprodorder?ft=1

Mr Bruce Malcolm Semley    DOB: 02 Jun 1949    British
1st Floor, 2 Woodberry Grove, North Finchley, London, England, N12 0DR

INHERITANCE AND PROBATE SOLUTIONS LIMITED 07826175 Incorporated 27 Oct 2011 *Live*
1st Floor, 2 Woodberry Grove, North Finchley, London N12 0DR
https://www.jordanwatch.co.uk/reports/Process ... dirNo=D16824057
http://company-director-check.co.uk/director/916824057

Thankyou for reading.

KW

To all Readers, We hope this link will be of use: http://www.snapsurveys.com/swh/surveylogin.asp?k=133095764648 

Tell The Information Commissioners Office about electronic marketing communications you have received

*If you've had an unwanted marketing call or message we want to know about it.  
*They will use the information you give them to help build a picture of these communications.
*The more information you are able to provide, the more likely it is that they will be able to identify the companies involved and take action against them.

Thankyou for reading.

KW

To all Readers: Regulation of will-writers will affect solicitors too
Monday 30 April 2012 by Rachel Rothwell

The solicitors’ profession was punching the air in celebration last week when the Legal Services Board announced its intention to finally bring will-writing into the regulatory fold.

There is no shortage of evidence about the misery caused by unscrupulous will-writers; a story from last year about a firm that dumped its documents on the pavement after going bust springs to mind as one of the worst examples. But it must be pointed out that the vast majority of those who write wills, whether they are solicitors or not, are competent and professional individuals, who provide a good service; and indeed the non-regulated sector has proven very successful in offering, for example, home visits, which make it as easy as possible for people to make a will (when it comes to writing wills, people are always looking for an excuse to do it tomorrow, not today). These reputable firms will probably welcome the opportunity to pin the badge of regulation on their lapels (though they may be less keen on the accompanying cost). But proper regulation should - at last - see off the rogues.

The new regulatory rules will cover the activities of will-writing, probate and estates administration, whoever does it - so they will apply to solicitors as well as everyone else. The LSB clearly has its doubts about the effectiveness of solicitors’ current regulation in these areas, asserting that problems with quality, service, transparency and fraud exist in both the regulated and unregulated sectors (although it does concede that the worst sales practices, and problems with the safekeeping of wills and options for redress, are largely confined to will-writers rather than solicitors).

The LSB says the way solicitors are regulated at the moment puts too much emphasis on controlling entry to the profession, without being targeted to the risks. Instead, it wants to see front-line regulators like the Solicitors Regulation Authority conducting more risk-based monitoring and supervision in relation to wills. The level of inspection a firm should expect would depend on the regulator’s analysis of the risk they present; so you might assume that a well-run firm whose wills are written by qualified staff would receive fewer visits.

Bodies that want to regulate will-writing will need to place a tick in the box to show they have the following in place: a mandatory register of the organisations they have authorised to write wills; a fit and proper person test before anyone can be licensed to write wills; a code of conduct covering sales practices; a requirement that firms must have an appropriately trained workforce; a strategy for supervision and enforcement, with financial penalties for transgression; requirements for firms to have in-house complaints procedures (they will also be subject to the Legal Ombudsman’s gaze); and professional indemnity where the provider has access to consumers’ money (for example in estates management).

All of these will be welcome and essential developments, and frankly hard for anyone to argue with. But just as important is one further requirement: any body wishing to regulate will-writing must have a strategy in place to educate consumers about the process of making a will. With so many people still failing to cross that job off the to-do list, any development that raises the profile of will-making can only be a good thing.
http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/blogs/blogs/news- ... -solicitors-too

Thankyou for reading.

KW

Please be assured that everything you read on this forum regarding Inheritance and Probate Solutions Ltd is correct...it is a scam. The company is under investigation by the Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire Trading Standards offices. Police are also informing all Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators. My parents have already been taken for £1995 so PLEASE do not give them any money!

Pedro Thankyou for your comments. For information on a few more companies to be aware of, please visit: https://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/01427858331

Thankyou for reading.

KW

I actually just got fired from this company today...I have been working there since 28th of February this year. The manager, Matthew...dont ask me his last name because it was different all the time...(Appleby, Appleyard, Jones) gave us all photocopies of the phonebook to call, so we would call the number, and slash it out with a pen after we had done, then if we had someone interested we would take down their details and pass them to Matt who would then book an appointment with that client in hopes the consultant would sell them a legal document (If he did then we got a £25 bonus, which I always thought was stupid as the products actually sold for around £2000.) But after that I cant give you any more information because I dont know if these elderly people were being robbed of money, even though it was something I had discussed with my colleagues and they also hoped that wasnt the case as everyone who I worked with was just the same as me, just trying to pay rent, most had children to support also like me. I hated working there, Matthew treat us all like crap, im talking bouncing cheques, no P60, payslips all over the place, just trickles of payslips, and he also quite frequently verbally abused staff thinking we would laugh and be impressed. I have been in touch with ACAS, Trading Standards and HMRC and they are looking into the company for me. So, just posted this to confirm from first hand experience that I think its a scam but also to say, dont hate the people working there who are calling you, they are just doing their jobs, i know its hard because you forget they are just people like everyone else and think WHY THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING ME?! But like i said, we all need to pay rent, support children and all the other stuff, and around Newark area there is NO Jobs. I would say at least everyone there is working and not signing on but...I just noticed on my payslip today, in 6 months of working there, i didnt pay a penny of N.I. Contributions, the N.I. Number on my payslip is not even close to mine so...TAX EVAISON. I hope Matthew, and the bloke who owns it (Graham also known as Joseph Sutcliffe or something) burn in hell, and they take their piece of [***] company with them. Want any more info? Post back and il post a bigger one, just short of time right now.

Thanks, hope this is useful.

JACK DRYDEN...

Thats right Matthew, I know you`l be reading this, scumbag.

Just realised, there was a part on there that looked really bad...I havnt paid any N.I. Contributions, but in contacting HMRC iv realised that and im paying it back myself. So hey, look at that? With this job, you pay money instead of earn it...Nice.

To all Readers, the below post is from: https://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/02076924929/2

Rodger Sant replies to K W - 26 Jun 2012

Thanks for your information my mother who lives in Edgbaston Birmingham Has had a call from them yesterday making arrangements for a rep to call on Wednesday . Thanks goodness that I saw your report on line and have now cancelled this appoinment. Hope other people see this so they do not get caught. The other problem is how do we stop these people from trading and targetting old aged people??. onec again thanks for the info


Regards

Rodger Sant
----

Thankyou for reading.

KW

JonnyKush93 Thankyou for your comments. All additions are appreciated. Please visit our other forum for more information about the people behind the aforementioned companies: https://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/01427858331 

We have a few questions we would like to ask, please feel free to e-mail us at wewillgivefreeadvice@hotmail.co.uk.

Thankyou for reading.

KW

I am just writing to detract what i put on a previously. I was fired due to attendance issues and i was  incorrect on the payment of tax as i worked 16 hours. I would also like to say Matt is not a Scum Bag!

Disregard my last message. Matthew has been calling me all day today asking me if i had removed my comment on here about him and the company. He basically said to me if i didnt remove the comment he wouldnt give me my 2 weeks in hand money. He was saying how hes done me favors and all this. But stand by what I said. So i went to work and the woman he leaves behind the desk while he goes out of the office was there (not mentioning any names, i have a lot of respect for her and she is just as innocent as everyone else) and she typed it out for me. So here I am now, iv got my wage and just letting all you good people on here know, i didnt mean any of that last comment. No one blackmails me!