Welcome

It's been a busy week (and a bit) since my last blog. The realisation that I hadn't written anything for a few days came when I was half way through watching the new Harry Potter film last night. Strange how the mind works isn't it?

Any way the film was very enjoyable and I would thoroughly recommend it.

This week Ive probably had more than my fare share of rest and relaxation. Not only was I out at the cinema last night but I also managed to get out on Wednesday evening for a night at The Ruskin Bar to see Sheffield's own, legendary, Frank White. As somebody who has been learning guitar for the last twenty years or so, it's always a treat to see someone like Frank a true master of his craft.

It's not been all play however. On Monday evening I attended an excellent seminar at Whirlowbrook Hall hosted by Grant Thornton Accountants.

The main topic of the evening was tax efficient Will drafting following the recent decision in the Phizackerley case. This decision did actually make it into the daily papers but, like many law reports in the tabloids, the full facts were not reported, causing many to worry unnecessarily that there inheritance tax planning might be to no avail.

Basically, you may be affected by the Phizackerley case if you have a debt charge� scheme in your nil rate band discretionary trust Will, or your spouse or partner has died and a discretionary trust has been set up using the a debt charge� provisions of the Will and the property you live in was acquired wholly by one of you but put into your joint names. Easy isn't it!

I must dash now. I've just remembered it's my Mum's birthday tomorrow. I haven't got her anything yet and the shops are about to close (hope she doesn't read this!)

Have a good weekend.

Hello and welcome to my first ever blog. As both my partners have been blogging for a few days now, I thought I should get started before yet another week disappears. It is amazing how time flies. My youngest son is 12 today and, like most parents on a child's birthday, I find myself reflecting on how quickly the years seem to disappear.

A breakfast meeting at 7.00am forced me out of my usual morning routine of coffee and the BBC news on the TV. Unfortunately, the chef at the restaurant where the meeting took place hadn't made it in to work, so the breakfast meeting became simply a meeting and I arrived at the office with a hunger for both food and news (in that order). The cure, I decided, was a sausage sandwich from over the road and a quick surf of the BBC web site.

One story which caught my attention was that the Skipton Building Society have recently conducted a survey which has revealed that most working families rely on grandparents to meet their child care needs. Now that in itself does not surprise me, especially when you consider the cost of professional child care and also the natural love and affection that grandparents have for their grandchildren. However, it did make me wonder how many of those working families, who entrust their children with others on a daily basis throughout the working week, have made any provision in their Wills for who should look after their children in the event of anything happening to them before their children reach 18? Law Society research suggests that 70% of us haven't even made a Will, so I suppose there is the answer to my question.

Many parents I talk to say the reason they don't have a Will is that they have nothing to leave, but even if that is true (and quite often most of us are better off than we think when we sit down and add it all up)Wills shouldn't be viewed simply as documents to control who gets your money. You can also include things like arrangements for the care of young children which, for many, are equally as important as ensuring that their children are financially provided for.

Well that's my first blog and, with my hunger pains a distant memory, it's back to work. I have to leave the office on time tonight as my (now 12 year old) son is on stage at 7.30 for his first production with his new drama group. I am sure he'll be fine, he takes everything in his stride, but I am a bag of nerves already!