Intestacy rules improved for spouses

As of yesterday (6 February), the amount that a surviving spouse in England and Wales can automatically receive if their partner has children and dies without leaving a will has increased to £270,000. A surviving spouse automatically inherits the entire estate if there are no children. However, under the new rules, where there are children, the bereaved partner will inherit an extra £20,000 plus half the remaining estate, and with the other split equally between any children. Elaine Cruickshank, tax and trusts manager at Aegon argued that while this might sound like a financially attr...