There are many legal ways to dodge the dreaded 40 per cent 'death tax' if you want to pass on the maximum sum possible and are prepared to plan ahead.

My 78-year-old brother died without leaving a will. He had no children and was divorced from his wife. Lawyer Gavin Holt explains the order of inheritance in such cases.

Gaynor Seymour, pictured with husband Andrew, lost state pension credits over an innocent paperwork error - but she can prove she looked after their daughter during the disputed period, she says.

I have been contacted by a genealogy company which says a member of my family from my dad's side passed away in 2016 leaving no will. Lawyer Vicky Tassell, pictured right, of Nockolds, replies.

Funeral costs have increased by 3.4% over the past year, but the price of a direct cremation - meaning without a funeral service - fell by 5% to £1,626.

After meeting workers fleeced of their futures in the scandal, the now Prime Minister, pictured with victims with David Burgess, left, Sue Flood and Micky Nettle, pledged to take up their case.

This year, the total number of people aged 90 and above is expected to hit 616,000, up 36% since 2010 and vastly outstripping the 7% rise in the overall UK population.

If I accept my husband's offer I would have less than half of the income that he is receiving, along with a five-year wait for my state pension. Lawyer Fiona Wood, pictured left, replies.

The Treasury is reportedly considering raising a key threshold where the controversial 'taper' kicks in from £110k to £150k, but pension experts think this will be ineffective or 'a sticking plaster'.

Some of the taxes we currently pay and a number of the tax breaks we are given to encourage us to save for old age are either too onerous or far too complicated.

Thousands of families are being forced to complete complicated paperwork to report the value of a loved one's estate to the taxman when they die - even when there is no inheritance tax to pay.

Reputable firms don't encourage savers to take money out of pensions before they are 55, in the form of a loan or any other kind of cash payout, due to the stiff tax penalty.

As the executor I'm a bit concerned that we may be breaking the law if he starts the work before probate is granted. What should we do? Lawyer James Beresford, pictured, replies.

Age UK has warned that hundreds of thousands of over 75s could struggle to pay for their TV licences if the BBC scales back on the benefit this summer in an effort to slash costs.

The withdrawal agreement under which the UK exits the EU on January 31 provides certainty on future state pension rises for current EU expats.

The cost of funerals is soaring - rising more than £200 over the past year to an average of more than £4,400 this month. But a decent send-off can still be arranged for less than half of this price.

Which? found 77 per cent of 1,500 people surveyed in the UK held either one account or several with the same provider, leaving them stuck during online and mobile banking hitches.

Former prison officer Paul Davidson, 62, pictured, was forced to retire early in 2012 after he suffered a breakdown. He spent a month in a clinic and his wife had to give up work to care for him.

nheritance tax at 40 per cent should be ditched and replaced with a 10 per cent tax on annual gifts of £30,000-plus and a new death allowance, says a report by MPs.

I feel aggrieved my inheritance is going to be £25k while my brother will likely get £975k from my father in addition to the £4m in properties he's already received.

With the smell of a spring Budget in the air comes the rumour of yet more restrictions on the tax relief available to boost our pension saving. But how will Mr Sunak treat pension savers?

Proposed changes to inheritance tax could make it more costly to help children onto the housing ladder, with a proposed 10% tax levied on sums above £30,000 given away each year.

This case highlights how complicated the rules on final salary pensions can be to navigate. Find out what you should ask your scheme before triggering payments here.

A selection of Steve's top columns can help you avoid being scammed, understand the mysteries of the new state pension, and gain peace of mind by making the most of your pension savings.

The pension incomes of Britain's richest retirees are now 17 times higher than those of the poorest as the gap between the two has nearly doubled over the past decade.

According to the Office for National Statistics, 11 per cent of private sector workers who have a pension are in a generous final salary scheme. This compares to 92 per cent in the public sector.

Anyone aged 47 or under must plan ahead if they want to retire earlier than 57, or will need cash for other purposes like paying off mortgages, home renovations or university fees for their children.

With fear about coronavirus gripping the country, demand for wills is soaring. Law firms say they are seeing jumps in requests ranging between 30 and 70% compared with normal business.

Savers who are under financial pressure or have lost jobs should beware scammers tempting them to tap pension pots early or switch them into higher risk investments.

The guarantee should be abandoned to ensure the economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis is fair to working-age households, says the Social Market Foundation.

So far they have cheated victims out of £2 million, using the fear of Covid-19 to launch a wave of scams that experts describe as 'sick'. We advise you on how to thwart the fraudsters.

Registering lasting power of attorney might start taking longer than the usual eight weeks during the current crisis, but official oversight body suggests some temporary workarounds.

We separated 20 years ago. I am about to inherit from an estate and have a small private pension and a full state pension. Can my wife claim on them? Lawyer Lisa Pepper, of Osbornes Law, replies.

Any saver expressing interest in ditching a final salary pension is to be warned off in a letter telling them it's unlikely to be in their best interests.

The eight mini episodes will be released on ITV Hub minutes after the main show ends, to showcase some of the more bizarre and wacky acts who auditioned for the show.

The music mogul, 60, has been self-isolating with his other half, 42, after California residents were put under lockdown in late March.

The Britain's Got Talent judge, 49, donned a fuchsia dress with a daring leg spit as she strutted her stuff while taking out her rubbish.

Britain's Got Talent will return to our TV screens on Saturday along bringing a new batch of contestants hoping to wow the judges with their skills.

The Britain's Got Talent judge, 41, said she is finally living her childhood dream of becoming a teacher as she appeared via video link on This Morning on Thursday.

In a new clip released ahead of the series' debut, at the Manchester auditions the panel could not bring themselves to look at the contestant

The BGT judge, 49, revealed she would take part on I'm A Celebrity but only on one condition and stated that she would 'put anything in her mouth' when it comes to the dreaded Bushtucker trails.

The new series, which was filmed earlier this year before the UK COVID-19 lockdown, sees St Anne's Gospel Choir from London kick off the auditions.

Britain's Got Talent will return to our TV screens on Saturday night for its highly anticipated 14 series.

Britain's Got Talent fans were left emotional on Saturday as Simon Cowell sweetly kissed son Eric, 6, after being blown away by a father and son magic act.

The Britain's Got Talent judge, 60, and his girlfriend Lauren Silverman were in for a shock on Saturday after being locked out of their Beverly Hills mansion.

The Britain's Got Talent host, 44, and girlfriend Anne-Marie Corbett were seen showing their support for the NHS as they joined their neighbours in clapping for their heroes.

Amanda Holden has admitted she's been thriving in lockdown - with the exception of her hair.

Amanda Holden looked effortlessly chic as she left the Heart Radio studios in London on Wednesday.

Beth Porch, 25, who sings to child cancer patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital, joined a hopefuls at the series 17 auditions which were filmed earlier this year before the UK COVID-19 lockdown

In an exclusive clip from Saturday's show, the TV personality, 49, had her head in her hands as she stopped herself from watching Simon Cowell taking part in the act.