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If you feel that you have suffered a wrong of any kind, a delay in taking legal action can put paid to your chances of obtaining justice. A widow who was left nothing in her deceased husband's will found that out to her cost when her hopes of obtaining reasonable financial provision from his estate were dashed. The couple had been married for 13 years but had separated about a year before the husband died. The wife had lodged a divorce petition, but those proceedings were interrupted by her husband's...

Property purchases are, for the majority of people, the highest-value deals they ever enter into and that is why they should never be undertaken in haste or without expert legal advice. A case in which an amateurish, home-made agreement led to years of costly strife between family members illustrates the point effectively. Due to concerns that the opportunity to purchase a property might otherwise be lost, the sale agreement was created in a hurry, without the assistance of a solicitor. It stated that a woman had put £150,000 towards the...

It is usual for occupational pension schemes to allow the spouse or partner of a scheme member to receive a reduced pension in the event that the member predeceases them. Normally, the appropriate beneficiary is set out in the scheme rules. With defined contribution schemes, such as Self-Invested Personal Pensions, the owner of the pension fund can choose to whom their pension pot is left by lodging a statement of choice with the pension scheme trustees. This latter arrangement can make pension scheme holdings useful tools in Inheritance Tax...

If you have been divorced abroad but are habitually resident in this country, English family judges have the power to ensure that you receive a fair share of the marital assets. In a case on point, the High Court awarded a woman whose marriage was dissolved in Russia, but who had settled in London, a financial settlement of £5 million. The middle-aged former couple, both Russian nationals, had three children during their 22-year marriage. From very modest beginnings, the husband had achieved great things in business and they had enjoyed...