Ware & Kay Solicitors Announces New Appointment

Ware & Kay Solicitors is delighted to announce the appointment of Wills & Probate Solicitor Sian Foster. Sian studied locally at the University of York and the York College of Law and she has many years of experience looking after clients and helping them with their Wills & Probate guiding them and providing assistance when dealing with the loss of a loved one.  She also has particular experience in how to avoid unnecessary Inheritance Tax and Powers of Attorney to ensure that clients are protected in the event of physical or mental incapacity. Sian is a member of Solicitors for the Elderly, an organisation which is committed to providing the highest quality of legal advice for older and vulnerable people, their families and carers. Commenting on her appointment, Sian said: "Ware & Kay Solicitors is one…

A Helping Hand

When you have lost a loved one, you may need some guidance with sorting out their affairs at what is already a difficult time... This is where Ware & Kay can help Depending on the circumstances, you may or may not need to apply for what is known as a "Probate" also called a Grant of Probate where the deceased left a Will, or a Grant of Letters of Administration where the deceased died intestate. We can advise you whether or not this is needed and, if so, we can offer as little or as much guidance as you need with this process, and with finalising your loved one's affairs efficiently, whether or not they left a Will. Advantages of taking legal advice There are some areas of the process which you may be happy…

Why Do I Need A Power Of Attorney

There are a number of reasons why you might need someone to make decisions for you or act on your behalf. It could just be temporary: for example, if you are in hospital and need help with everyday things such as making sure that bills are paid. Or you may need to make more long-term plans if, for example, you have been diagnosed with dementia. What is a Lasting Power of Attorney? A Lasting Power of Attorney gives someone you trust the legal authority to make decisions on your behalf, if either you are unable to in the future or you want help managing your finances. How to get a Lasting Power of Attorney At Ware & Kay Solicitors we are committed to setting up a Lasting Power of Attorney as simply and straightforwardly as…

Do I Need A Power Of Attorney

Powers of attorney are useful if you need someone to make decisions on your behalf.  This may just be temporary (for example, to ensure that bills are paid if you were in hospital) or more long-term (for example, if you have been diagnosed with dementia). What is a Lasting Power of Attorney? A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) gives someone you trust the legal authority to make decisions for you.  There are two types of LPA, 'Property and Financial Affairs' and 'Health and Welfare', and you can create one or both.  The Property and Financial Affairs LPA allows your chosen attorneys to operate your finances, for example to mange your bank accounts and pay bills.  The attorney can act while they have mental capacity (if you consent) but also if you lose mental capacity. A…

How To Calculate Holiday Pay

We all look forward to our holidays, whether it is for travel or to spend time with friends and family.  But the subject of holiday pay has been causing concern recently since a number of cases in relation to the calculation of holiday pay have increased employees' rights.  Gillian Reid, employment law specialist at Ware & Kay in York, Wetherby & Malton sets out what you need to know and what you should be doing as an employer to ensure that you stay on the right side of the law. The Working Time Regulations The right to paid holiday is set out in the Working Time Regulations and, despite the fact that the regulations have been in force for more than 16 years, there are still grey areas.  The law in this area continues to…

Shared Parental Leave For New Parents

Members of staff announcing that they are soon to be parents will be entitled to take shared parental leave. This applies to pregnancies with a due date on or after 5 April 2015. Under this new right, expectant parents will be able to choose how they share time off work for the first year of their child's life so that they can both retain a link to their workplace.  Gillian Reid, employment law expert at Ware & Kay Solicitors in York & Wetherby, explains how the new right will work in practice. The new legislation will allow a woman to return to work early and share the remainder of her leave and pay with her partner, if she wishes. The current entitlement to 52 weeks' maternity pay and 39 weeks' maternity pay will remain the…

10 Common Debt Recovery Mistakes

This article looks at the ten most common mistakes business owners make when it comes to tackling debtors, and advises on the best course of action. 1. Failing to have a credit policy When a company provides goods or services before receiving payment, it is essentially the same as handing over cash.  For this reason it is vital for cash flow and ultimately the survival of your businesses to be able to predict when you are likely to get paid and the cost of ensuring that this happens.  This begins with having a credit policy. By gathering the same types of information from each customer, it is possible to attribute different risk levels to each and adjust your payment terms accordingly.  Your credit policy provides uniformity of terms for each type of customer you have…

Solicitor In The Saddle For Charity Bike Ride

A Solicitor from Ware & Kay is to pedal over 70 mile in the 32nd annual Great Yorkshire Bike Ride to raise money for a varied group of charities. The Great Yorkshire Bike Ride is one of the biggest cycling events around and every year around 2,000 cyclists of all ages and abilities take on the challenge. Robert Bellhouse, Family Solicitor & Trained Mediator from the York office will take on the challenge cycling from Wetherby to Filey.  The ride takes place on Saturday 6th June in some of Yorkshire's best countryside through the Howardian Hills and the Yorkshire Wolds to the coast. Robert said "I am delighted to take part in this cycle ride in order support these charities and thank everyone for sponsoring me.  There is always a great team spirit among the volunteers…

The Importance Of Making A Will

Making a Will is very important if you care what happens to your money and your belongings after you die, and most of us do.  Most of us have younger relatives who we want to benefit from our estate, or we have charities maybe that we want to support. If you do not make a Will, the law decides who gets what, and what the law decides may well not be what you want. Everything does not always go to your spouse, for example. If you're not married everything certainly does not go to your partner; it will go to blood relatives. Although many people make a Will to ensure their affairs are taken care of after they die, there are many others who make no such provision believing that, even without a Will, their…

Can Your Business Survive A Partnership Dispute

Being in partnership can be a great way to do business: the pooling of capital, talent, skill and common purpose to drive a business to success. However, as with the best of relationships, things can go wrong. Trust can evaporate as differences in personalities emerge. Ethics, business direction, control issues, underperformance and money woes can dominate partnership meetings, instead of the wellbeing and growth of the business. Firm foundations Before setting up or entering into a partnership, take advice from a specialist solicitor. Their role is to protect your interests and ensure you have a clear picture of your responsibilities, management, expectation and risk. Establishing your legal status can help avoid pitfalls later.  Factors such as capital input, profit share and management powers are all relevant in determining whether you are a true partner or…