We had a bad experience of incompetence with Norauto when we first moved here and we wonât ever be going back.
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FIL loved playing the market and spent a lot of time with his huge ledgers buying and selling very small amounts. When he died there were over 100 share certificates in the folder many of which were not current, but still ended up with around 50. He was 96 and had dementia so we didnât open the box of about the accuracy of previous tax returns just concentrated on getting probate! It took me weeks, and weeks just to work out what he owned and inform the company. So perhaps now youâve got your heads round her belongings start to organise for the eventual need for probate,
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Good point, we are definitely going to look at this⌠What has really surprised me is that this tax return exercise for my Mum has flushed out significant amounts of income still arising to my Dad (or more accurately, his estate) who died 2 years ago. Everyone naturally focused at the time on probate for him, and IHT etc but has completely overlooked income from his death that is (still) racking up. Typically interest, life assurance payouts, pensions (that probably have to be paid back) etc. We will have to throw ourselves on the tender mercies of HMRC with a âsweep upâ letter showing all his post death income.
Snap! We discovered yesterday when responding to my Mumâs new tax accountant who wanted some ID for anti money laundering purposes, that she has no valid passport or driving licence (both have lapsed as little future use to her). Struggling to think of suitable photo ID apart from perhaps a Blue Badge (for disabled drivers) that she still has.
Does that mean that the various bodies havenât been properly informed? When my father died in August, they various pension providers were very quick to request refunds of overpaid pensions and the various insurers very slow to pay out, with the honourable exception of Royal London who paid out very quickly indeed. Top tip, avoid the Pru all costs, theyâre absolute charlatans.
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After looking further, it seems that the pension companies, which as you rightly say were v quick off the mark to demand refunds after Dad died, are being/have been repaid. What has really shocked me is that IFAs had advised my Dad to use Pru, and others for life assurance - but it emerges that Irish life assurance (Pru and Monument operate through Dublin) is fully taxable in the UK on payout at death. None had mentioned this possibility to him, hence significant tax liabilities have accumulated post his death with nobody realising.
My car failed the MOT on Tuesday because a ball joint needed replacement, but under the Skoda service agreement itâs being replaced FOC.
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Did the IFA not advise writing the policy into trust?
Thatâs not good. Are you going to take it up with the IFAs?
My understanding is that this step (writing policies into trust) is primarily for IHT planning purposes, whereas foreign life assurance gains on death are unfortunately treated as chargeable income tax events. They are therefore fully taxable, albeit with some means of reducing top rates of tax applying. Tax is not generally withheld from foreign gains..so guess what that means for an elderly widow, totally unaware of what liabilities have now been discovered.
Yes, that conversation has started! However the IFA has now retired and sold his businessâŚ..Iâm not holding my breath for help from that source.
Does that mean itâs the FSCS, George?
I can only imagine that the Pru pays better than average commission as they seem to be recommended quite often, despite their appalling service.
When I was an IFA working for a complete bunch. They would receive higher commission from some companies and trying to do the right thing for the client could involve you in considerable explaining to managers. I left.
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Miss mulligatawny soup.
Good question. It will be up to my (currently unaware of the situation) Mum. Behavioural research in the US suggests people are often surprisingly reluctant to claim against or sue long term advisers who they trust, have really listened to them etc. Weâll see.
Cheerful news. CA including Britline, have updated their policies to allow far greater amounts to be transferred from your CA accounts - without having to fill out a form..
Transfers up to âŹ2500 are the default. You can (temporarily) raise your transfer limits to 10000 within the Ma Banque app. Limits can be (temporarily) raised up to 100000 via a call to CA, after tapping in 6 digit code and account number. Over 100000 there is a form required and security checks undertaken.
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Iâm really pleased you managed to sort that out. It sounded like an impossible task to me, so hats off to you!!!
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Cumbriaâs to host 2 stages of TdF 2027 
, might even get some potholes fixed, at last!
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Thatâll be fun. Up the Col de Kirkstone presumably. 
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Itâs a Hardnot life
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Menâs Stage 1 departs Edinburgh down to Carlisle, bit lumpy is all, stage 2 starts in Keswick & finish in Liverpool, bit lumpier, stage 3 Welshpool to Cardiff. Nothing too testing, other than the weather.