Experience

While an attorney's opinion is not a determination of how your case will end up, he can offer you benefit of experience. An experienced lawyer can be very helpful to you in many ways. Your lawyer can make sure that you have applied for all disability programs for which you are eligible. Having several years of work experience in their respective areas of practice and always utilizing their resources, commitment and professional judgment is necessary in order to make sure that your cases are thoroughly prepared and ready for trial.

Indeed, getting an efficient, effective and responsive counsel for your social security disability case is a challenging task. Before making decision to hire an attorney, you need to know first about lawyer’s knowledge, identity and experience. Also, you must ask lawyer to tell you about how he has represented clients in cases similar to yours. Ask lawyer to go over fee arrangement in detail with you and be sure you understand what lawyer plans to do to represent you on your claim.

After all, you really have to take your claim seriously and make every effort to listen to and follow your lawyer's advice because as you can see, you and your lawyer are a team when it comes to winning your social security disability cases.

The Implications of Charge ==============================

Most of Inheritance Tax Planning techniques usually involve a widow or widower having continued enjoyment of their former spouse's share of property and thus it would appear on first inspection that in majority of cases charge would not apply as transferor themselves would not be around to continue to enjoy or benefit from property. 

However, a problem seems to arise where a couple own their property as joint tenants prior to commencing their tax planning strategy and subsequently changing their ownership title to tenants in common. Where widow or widower formerly owned property as joint tenants they had a share in ownership of whole property. This means that new Income Tax charge could conceivably apply to their continued occupation of property after their spouse's death.

A possible consequence of this for future might mean that instead of acquiring property as joint tenants which has been general rule, wise policy would be to own property as tenants in common instead. But how many people are aware of this distinction? Will legal advisors be prepared to explain tax implications of acquiring property with different legal titles?

Conclusion ==========

How far will new charge impact on current Inheritance Tax Planning schemes? As yet, it is too soon to tell, as rules have not been fully fleshed out and as yet, it is too soon to say with any certainty what will happen and which schemes will be affected.

But it seem fair to argue that current Labour Government is doing its utmost to tax its citizens at every possible turn. Inheritance Tax avoidance schemes - indeed any tax avoidance scheme -are not unlawful. Planning for future does not mean that people are engaging in tax evasion - which IS unlawful. But policies being employed leave an uncomfortable impression of an angry parent chastising their child simply for being astute and planning for future!

Needless to say, whole approach leaves a somewhat bitter taste in one's mouth.

JsByrne LLB (Hons) LPc. www.Draft-Your-Will.com