For many years, retirement and estate planning followed a broadly accepted order:

Spend cash first. Use ISAs and other investments where necessary. Preserve the pension for as long as possible.

That approach was often entirely rational. Defined contribution pension funds could normally continue growing in a tax-advantaged environment and, where the scheme operated on a discretionary basis, unused funds would generally sit outside the member’s estate for Inheritance Tax purposes.

From 6 April 2027, that position changes fundamentally.

From April 2027, most unused pensions will form part of your estate for inheritance tax. Learn who is affected, key exemptions and what you should review now.

The modern family is changing rapidly and Estate planning hasn’t kept up.

New research from STEP highlights something we are increasingly seeing across the UK:

Inheritance disputes are rising sharply, particularly within blended families, The findings are striking.

A significant Court of Appeal decision could have important implications for families undertaking legitimate inheritance tax planning.

The case concerned a home loan arrangement established in 2003, designed to reduce the value of a family’s estate for inheritance tax purposes while allowing the homeowner to continue living in the property.

The recent decision in McDaniel v Talbot is another important reminder that disinheriting an adult child is rarely as straightforward as many families believe.

A daughter who had been specifically excluded from her father’s Will has now successfully secured over £123,000 from his estate under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.

At first glance, many will assume this was simply another “fairness” case.

It was not.

A recent High Court decision provides an important warning for anyone involved in trust and estate planning.

The court set aside declarations of trust under which an individual purported to transfer his present and future assets, income and property to his wife. Although the arrangements were described as inheritance tax planning, the court found that their purpose was to place assets beyond the reach of potential creditors

We can manage our banking, tax affairs, medical records and commercial contracts securely online, yet a valid Will still depends upon wet-ink signatures and two witnesses being physically present.

That position is increasingly difficult to defend.

HMRC has recently reminded advisers and executors that where there is any uncertainty over whether an estate qualifies as an excepted estate, the safer course may be to submit a full IHT400.

At first glance, this might appear to be nothing more than an administrative update. I believe it highlights a much wider issue within estate administration.

There is a brutal lesson in this case, and it has very little to do with psychic ability.

Gary Pammen, better known as television personality the “Cockney Bard”, challenged his late father’s 2016 Will after discovering he had been disinherited. His father, Terrance Pammen, left an estate worth around £451,840, largely made up of his east London home, to his daughter Tracy and granddaughter Paige.

The recent ECHR decision concerning whether a trans man who gave birth could be recorded as a child’s father rather than mother is a reminder of a much wider issue.

Family life is changing faster than many legal forms can keep up.

Death creates an immediate need for decisions. The house still needs securing. Utility bills continue to arrive. Businesses continue trading. Employees still expect to be paid. Insurance must remain in force. Care fees continue. Bank accounts may become frozen. Family members need guidance. None of this waits for a Grant of Probate.

The Government has launched a major consultation into cohabitation law reform, examining some of the biggest proposed changes to family law in decades.

The consultation considers whether cohabiting couples should receive greater legal protections on separation and death, reflecting the fact that around 3.5 million people in the UK now live in cohabiting relationships.

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding inheritance disputes is that claims are only brought by people facing financial hardship. A recent article examining Inheritance Act claims in high-net-worth estates highlights that this is increasingly not the case.

Over the weekend, I read another article highlighting a family who felt let down after implementing a "Family Protection Trust." The piece focused on the trust itself, the fees paid, and the eventual inheritance tax bill. As is often the case, the headline suggested the trust had failed.

There is no doubt that the probate system has improved significantly over recent years.

Digital applications, online tracking and increased investment have all helped reduce average processing times. On paper, the direction of travel appears positive. Yet despite these improvements, many families are still experiencing significant delays, uncertainty and financial pressure at precisely the moment they are least equipped to deal with it.

New research suggests that delays in estate planning could cost UK families billions of pounds in avoidable inheritance tax over the coming years.

New research published by IRN Legal Reports suggests that consumer behaviour within the wills and probate sector is changing rapidly.

The Wills & Probate Consumer Research 2026 report found that client loyalty is declining, while comparison websites and independent review platforms are becoming increasingly influential in the way consumers choose estate planning services.

A recent High Court ruling involving a £1.7 million family dispute serves as a stark reminder that estate planning is not simply about drafting documents. It is equally about governance, oversight and ensuring that those entrusted with responsibility exercise it properly.