We were disappointed not to hold the annual Dawson Hart Easter Egg Hunt on Good Friday when we had hoped to raise lots of money for our Charity of the Year, the Sussex Support Service. However, with the introduction of lockdown for the whole country, it was...
A will expresses the final wishes of the deceased person and it is commonly thought that a will is irrevocable after death. However, provided everyone agrees, it is normally possible to vary a will provided that the application is made within two years of the death.
A Deed of Family Arrangement, or DFA, (also known as a Deed of Variation) is a legal document which can be used to 'rewrite' provisions of a will. While these were originally introduced to protect dependents from being unfairly deprived, they are now mainly used to reduce Inheritance Tax.
To be effective, a DFA must be made in writing and signed by all of the beneficiaries who would lose entitlement to the affected part of the deceased person’s estate. If this affects any person under age eighteen, it may require the formal approval of the court.