Property Protection Trusts (sometimes called Asset Protection Trusts) are designed to help people protect the value of their home and safeguard the property against any change in circumstances, such as the death of a partner or care home needs.
The Law Society and Trading
Standards Watchdogs are currently concerned that these products are being
mis-sold, with inaccurate promises made that the Local Authority cannot class
the property as an asset when assessing care home fees, and used by
unauthorised firms, who are not entitled to prepare these Trusts.
Even more concerning is the
manner in which some unregulated firms appear to be approaching people, who are
often elderly, with complaints being made about high pressure selling and scare
tactics.
Norman Snowball says: “There are proposals to regulate Will
writing and estate administration and the sooner the better but, for now, there
are a number of unregulated firms offering those services. Making a Will is
very important, even more so where care home fees or tax planning may be an
issue. Until the changes on regulation come in, people must be extremely
careful about who they ask to prepare their Will.”
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