Braintree issue 12 2015 web

L N ocal ISSUE 12

etwork Magazine

What is a dangerous dog?

Garden view - which Christmas tree?

Cranberry & Orange Cake Deck the halls EVERYWHERE! Crossword & Word Search The man is not on the moon What does a carrier cost?

Drawing the poverty line Food Banks

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Page 5 What is a dangerous dog?

Page 19 The man is not on the moon

Page 7 Garden view - which Christmas tree?

Page 23 The heat is On!

Page 11 Cranberry & Orange Cake

Page 25 What does a carrier cost?

Page 15 Deck the halls EVERYWHERE!

Page 27 Drawing the poverty line

Page 16 Crossword & Word Search

Page 29 Keep Cyber Safe

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What is a Dangerous Dog? At Watson Legal we adore our furry friends.

Meet Sky our office dog who always greets everyone with a friendly smile.

Sadly, not everyone is a dog lover and not every dog is friendly. Whilst there are various arguments that a dog’s behaviour is as a result of their owner, unfortunately accidents do happen and incidents occur where action should be taken.

The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (‘the Act’) was put in place in response to injury and death following attacks by aggressive and uncontrolled dogs.

Due to their very nature, some dogs are banned entirely from being in this country. I do not propose to consider that element of the legislation; what I want to consider is the element which may at some point effect a large proportion of dog owners.

In accordance with Section 2 of the Act, the court has the power to make an order following a complaint that the dog is dangerous and not kept under proper control and if it would appear to the court that such a dog is dangerous they can direct the dog is kept under proper control or destroyed.

‘Dangerously out of control’ is defined in broad terms as where the dog has injured a person or there are grounds for reasonable apprehension that the dog may injure a person. In accordance with the Guidance to Enforcers prepared by DEFRA they ask an initial question “is the dog considered aggressive, dangerous or is there any concern for public safety or animal welfare?” That seems to be a sensible starting point.

1 Ducketts Wharf, South Street, Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire CM23 3AR

Section 3 of the Act confirms that if a dog is dangerously out of control, whether or not in a public place, the owner and if different, the person for the time being in charge of the dog is guilty of an offence. Depending on the seriousness of the offence the owner can be imprisoned from 6 months to 14 years. 14 years is if a person dies as a result of being injured.

However, attention should be drawn to what are referred to as ‘householder’ cases, where the owner would not be guilty of an offence.

In the simplest of terms this is where a dog is dangerously out of control while in a building (which is a dwelling) and at the time the victim is a trespasser. There are other exceptions; for example if it is wholly the fault of the victim or they have voluntarily accepted the risk of it happening. If the Police believe the dog is dangerous they have the power to seize the dog in accordance with Section 5 of the Act. However, it is a discretionary power and they do require a warrant before doing so. It should also be noted that they do not have the power to destroy the dog. A court order must be obtained.

If you require further information or would like book a free 30 minute consultation then call us on 01279 466910 or email info@watson-legal.com

Tel: 01279 466910 www.watson-legal.com info@watson-legal.com

Sarah Watson Principal of Watson Legal

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Garden View

This month Which Christmas tree?

By Rachel Leverton

When we were kids my brother christened our rather sorry old artificial tree the Silver Lurch, on account of its colour and list.

Artificial trees have improved enormously since then but most gardeners do prefer the real thing. There’s something magical about bringing a bit of the outside indoors at this time of year.

Unfortunately trees were not meant to live in centrally-heated sitting rooms. It puts them under a lot of stress. So which trees survive Christmas best?

Well there are several species available to the British public. The main choices are between pines, spruces and firs.

The traditional Christmas tree is Picea Abies, the Norway Spruce. Most popular they may be but they are actually least suited to the conditions inside the average home. Spruces are much more prone to shed needles than firs or pines.

Pinus Sylvestris and Pinus Contorta are respectively better known as the Scots Pine and the Lodgepole Pine. Their longer needles hold well but do make hanging decorations a bit tricky for small fingers, which is worth noting if your children like to help. If that’s not an issue the widely spaced branches show off larger baubles very well. The Corsican Pine (pinus Nigra Laricio) is not as common but has similar properties.

Firs are the best choice for a British Christmas. If you want the best, and you can find one, plump for Abies Noblilis, the Noble Fir. In its perfect form it’s hard to beat: uniform in shape with more open branches on the top, its flat, short needles have amazing retention properties. It’s trickier to grow well than most other trees so expect to pay a bit of a premium.

The Nordman Fir (Abies Nordmanniana) runs the Noble Fir a close second. It is easily available now as many tree growers invested heavily in the species. They are generally cheaper than the Noble Fir so a good choice if cost is an issue. The Fraser Fir and the lemon-scented Douglas Fir are also worth seeking out.

Once you have your tree, make a fresh cut across its trunk and give it a good drink of tepid water before bringing it inside. Secure it properly in a specially made base which is the right size for your tree! A toppled six foot tree, a couple of gallons of water and a hundred or so baubles

make a seriously large mess...I know this to be true because several Christmases ago I was the person clearing it all up at 2 in the morning... don’t make my mistake! Merry Christmas!

Eco-Friendly?

For true eco-friendliness buy British-grown trees. Most councils offer a Christmas tree shredding service. The shreddings are then composted. Artificial trees are generally non-biodegradable.

Christmas tree farms act as a carbon sink, fixing environmental carbon dioxide.

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Ingredients

Ideal cake tin would be a round fluted one. n Non-stick baking spray n 150g dried cranberries n 70ml fresh orange juice n 375g self-raising flour n 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder n 1/2 teaspoon salt n 2 eggs, separated n 400g caster sugar n 120ml rape seed oil n 240ml buttermilk n 1 tablespoons grated orange peel n 115g icing sugar n 2 tablespoons orange or vanilla yogurt

Cranberry &

orange cake

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350째F. n Combine cranberries and juice in Pyrex jug, heat in microwave on high 30 seconds. Stir cranberries and set aside. n Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. n Beat egg whites with electric mixer until stiff peaks form set aside. n Place sugar, oil and egg yolks in large bowl; mix with electric mixer on low until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 1 minute. Add buttermilk and flour mixture; mix on low until blended. Stir in cranberries and orange peel. Add egg whites; stir gently until combined. Spray cake tin with non-stick baking spray then pour mix into pan. n Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the tin onto wire rack. Cool at least 30 minutes. n Combine icing sugar and 2 tablespoons vanilla yogurt in small bowl. Spoon glaze over cake. Before serving decorate with sugared cranberries (see recipe)

Before

After

Sugared Cranberries

Ingredients

n 60g granulated sugar n 60ml water n 150g fresh cranberries, room temperature n 170g caster sugar (for rolling)

Instructions

n Place sugar and water in shallow pan and heat until simmering (not

boiling) and stir until sugar is dissolved. n Place cranberries in pan and submerge. Make sure cranberries are well coated. Using a slotted spoon transfer coated to cranberries to a wire rack to dry for an hour. Separate cranberries as much as possible to avoid clumps of simple syrup that will lead to clumps of sugar. n Place granulated sugar in a shallow pan or bowl and working in small batches, roll cranberries through sugar to coat. n Transfer coated cranberries to a clean surface for furthering drying, about 1hour.

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Deck the halls

Everywhere

By Brenda Burling

N

o sooner than the ghost, vampire and hobgoblin costumes are put away than it is time to think of Christmas. My all time, beyond compare, favourite time of year.

Now I remember back to a time when I bought one, specially chosen, perfectly formed, modest yet astronomically priced Scotch or Scandinavian Pine tree. It became a member of the family and was placed lovingly in a bucket of water and adorned with a specific themed colour scheme, chosen with care, every year.

A collection of blown glass, baubles or hand painted, antique gold coloured trinkets featuring Victorian scenes, bought from boutique gift shops. The fireplace would feature a crimson swag with matching candles and the odd sprig of real holly and mistletoe to accentuate a tasteful and yet festive Christmas season.

Maybe a single strand of white fairy lights at the window, should we be feeling decadent.

Fast forward a decade, two children and a crazy dog and Christmas looks something like this; firstly there are at least half a dozen types of lighting that need to placed inside and outside our home. Flashing, non-flashing, coloured and disco! We have countless motorised Santa’s doing everything from the Jingle Bell Hop to Here Comes Santa Claus, accompanied by strange gyrating movements that can only be seen to be believed, trousers held in place by many years’ worth of melted sticky tape (yes, yes possible fire hazard, I know, I know) and accompanied by one or two slightly mangled,

less than healthy looking, reindeer (my youngest had a penchant for chewing their ears when younger) Accompany these delightful images with three artificial trees. We have a fibre optic tree for the conservatory; imitation, goodness knows what ‘pine’ for the lounge and some sort of super cheap scraggly thing for the landing. These are then dressed by the children. We now opt for a more-is-more approach which culminates in bulk buying of everything garish, glittery and gaudy. I long got rid of my treasured one-off decorations, they would never have survived the onslaught of family life. Our trees now sport a ‘every-colourof-the-rainbow’ look and we have it all going on.

There are Santa’s, snowmen, stars, moons, three angels with varying disabilities, bells that ring, some that don’t and some truly original artwork we receive every year, kindly donated by the children’s school as the fruits of their seasonal ‘art projects’. I have fake snow, coloured snow and even fluorescent snow, should the need arise. We now spray, hang, drape everything that isn’t alive.

Although the dog does have a ‘Christmas’ lead; don’t want him feeling left out do we?

Suffice to say we resemble the ‘Griswolds’ from my favourite Christmas film, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and all I can say is it is so worth it. The children love every second of the season and when all is said and done it is the memories of this incredible time of year that count so be brave, be tacky and be happy, happy, happy. Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year to All.

15

Crossword Clues Clues Across

Clues Down 1 2 3 4 5 6

Bolting, racing (7) Fourth month, girl’s name (5) Female deer (3) Team sport played in a swimming pool (5,4) Popular team sport, mostly played by women (7) Fungus used in bread-making (5)

Word Search List angel bells boots bow box card carols chimney eggnog elf family festival fireplace fruitcake garland gift goose holly

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hope icicle ivy kings manger Noel party rejoice Rudolph scarf Scrooge sleigh snow toys tree winter wonder wreath yule log

1 4 7 8 9 11 12 14 16 18 20 21 23 24

_____ Dahl, wrote Matilda (5) Breezy (5) Most furious (8) Streetcar (4) Large passenger aeroplane (8) Lowest female singing voice (4) Horrified, shocked (6) Compel, coerce (6) Perishes, succumbs (4) Complications, obstacles (8) Famous boys’ boarding school (4) Italian hard cheese (8) Type of bike (5) Titbit, goody (5)

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DeceiveD by Brenda Burling Julia’s privileged and ordered world is turned upside down in a single day… The start of the catastrophic turn of events begins with a seemingly simple mobile phone malfunction, culminating in the disappearance of her children and husband. Against the backdrop of Cambridgeshire countryside, Florida’s relentless heat, and millions of tourists, Julia’s search begins. A story of one woman’s strength, ingenuity, and relentless courage to get back what’s been taken from her. By whatever means necessary…

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The man is not on the

moon

By Jo Bastik

Every year when the Christmas adverts start to make an appearance, it signifies that the season of good will is rapidly approaching. In a matter of weeks there will be no parking spaces by 9am, endless queues in the shops and traffic congestion will be worse than ever.

Parents will be running around with all the preparations that need to be done and children’s excitement will be beginning to escalate.

Looking back over the Christmas television adverts, the good old Coca Cola adverts are a personal favourite but I have to admit the John Lewis advert is always one of the most anticipated. It’s usually a tear jerker with a poignant and powerful mixture of sentimentality with an underlying thought-provoking message.

The bear and the hare and the boy with his penguin were previously a hit with the products selling out in record time. But last week I watched the new John Lewis Christmas advert for the first time. Well, how do I explain how excited I was to see the seniors had finally taken priority?

The story of the man on the moon features a young girl using a telescope who spots an elderly gentleman sitting on his own on the moon. Alone with his thoughts and memories, with not a soul in sight and unreachable by the

rest of society, the girl is unable to make contact so she sends him a telescope; then there it is, the tearful, happy ending of them being able to see each other. How fantastic that John Lewis has highlighted the sad fact that many people are alone with no one else around. These seniors are not on the moon but all around us in the community.

The forgotten generation who are just marooned in their own homes and a very much forgotten generation, yet we should be grateful because without them our country would not be what it is today.

John Lewis has teamed up with Age UK to promote awareness and make people think how they can make a difference. This is surely what Christmas should be about as well as a time for celebration and of course to see what Santa brings the children. I would hope people will take note and perhaps look in on an elderly neighbour. There could be a lonely senior just around the corner who would be delighted to see a friendly face and this act of kindness costs nothing.

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[ T y p e a q u o t e f r o m

The heat

A

is ON!

lthough we didn’t get much of a summer this year it wasn’t cold, so energy costs were much lower but now temperatures have changed, the heat is well and truly on; boilers using energy of one type or another, log fires burning along with your money paying the bills! But the most important issue is staying safe.

First and foremost comes safety, what can happen if you don’t have your boiler serviced? The harsh reality is you can die! Government figures show that about 4,000 people go to A&E with carbon monoxide related problems, at least 200 are hospitalised and there are around 50 deaths in England and Wales! That alone is reason enough to get your boiler serviced. Don’t forget fuel burning stoves because what leads to carbon monoxide poisoning? Carbon monoxide is released when a carboncontaining fuel such as gas, oil, coal, coke, petrol or wood does not burn fully because not enough air is available. The majority of cases of carbon monoxide poisoning are due to faulty combustion in heating and cooking appliances. Gas appliances that are left unchecked could be dangerous and leaking carbon monoxide! We can all prevent these avoidable tragedies by making sure gas and fuel appliances are properly installed and maintained and fitting an audible carbon monoxide alarm that meets European Standard EN 50291.

Making sure your chimney is swept is equally important. Your home insurance may be void if there is fire damage due to an upswept chimney; some insurance companies will no longer pay out for chimney fire damage unless the flue has been swept and maintained by a professional chimney sweep who can issue a valid certificate of sweeping recognised by the insurance companies themselves. Guild sweeps are required to issue these certificates for every chimney cleaned. Also, if the fire brigade is called out due to a chimney fire and it is proven that the chimney has not been maintained the local council can bill you for the call out, and this has been known to be up to £2,000 per fire crew!

Now the part that harms your pocket! Utility costs are one of our largest outgoings but is there anything we can do to reduce costs? Apart from the obvious such as good insulation, keeping thermostats set on a sensible level and making as few telephone calls as possible, what can we do?

When was the last time you looked at a price comparison site? In actual fact the main reason we go to a price comparison site is for insurance but not so much for utilities. It can be an eye opener but reading the small print is a must - why?

By Jean Ford

1. Check if you are tied into a contract if so what type of contract.

There little point in changing if in a month’s time if it will cost you more.

2. Are there any added benefits from changing such as club card points? Even the banks are jumping on board and offering discounts on your utilities which I have to say after going online to the NatWest website and checking it, looked very reasonable.

3. But have you heard of Utility Warehouse? It comes highly recommended by 93% of customers, they have won awards from Which and The Home Finances Award, to name just a few.

Apart from giving price promises, they offer a unique way of how you can pay toward your bills by shopping - yes shopping, and some even manage to pay their utility bills just by shopping! It sounds mad but it can be done. To get all the facts you need to speak to one of their advisers. They go over your bills with you and give you advice on the best way forward and when you call you get to speak to a real human being who helps, guides and advises you. Utility Warehouse are renowned for their excellent customer service and have won awards for it, so when you think of the service some of us have received from other utility services, that’s a bonus before you even save a penny.

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carrier bag cost?

What does a

In April 2002, a dead whale was washed up on the Normandy coast with 2lb of plastic bags lodged inside her stomach. Carrier bags weigh very little, so that is a lot of bags.

She had endured a slow and painful death. It is estimated that 100,000 marine creatures die each year due to ingesting plastic.

Worldwide, 1.2 trillion disposable plastic bags are given out each year – 7.6 billion in Britain. Tesco supplies more than any other retailer (2 billion annually).

The average supermarket carrier bag is used for between 12 and 20 minutes. Many are reborn as dog litter bags or to take muddy football boots to school, however lots go straight to landfill and take up to 1,000 years to decompose. In fact, carrier bags never biodegrade – under ideal conditions they break down into microscopic particles but these cannot be eaten by bacteria, hence they remain in the soil.

Some years ago retailers experimented with ‘oxo-degradable’ plastic bags, hoping science had solved the problem. These plastics contain tiny amounts of metals (cobalt, iron or manganese) which cause them to break down when exposed to oxygen and sunlight. In laboratory tests this worked fine - unfortunately the realworld conditions of being buried in a

landfill site provide neither light nor oxygen hence the bags were withdrawn.

From October 5th retailers who employ more than 250 staff have been required to charge 5p per carrier bag (shops in airports, ships, on trains or aeroplanes are exempt from the levy). Raw food, loose seeds, knife blades and potentially leaky takeaway containers also qualify for a free bag.

Should you buy a re-usable cotton shopping bag? Yes, but use it frequently. A 2011 Government study discovered that these need to be used at least 100 times to be more environmentally friendly than disposable carriers.

So how long do other discarded items take to break down? Estimates vary, but as a guide:

Glass bottles.................................1,000,000 years Sanitary products/nappies ����������500-800 years Fishing line.............................................600 years Plastic drinks bottles ��������������������������� 450 years Aluminium cans.....................................200 years Batteries.................................................100 years Foam plastic cups.................................50 years+ Rubber boot/shoe sole �������������������50-80 years Tin cans (steel).......................................50 years 25

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Drawing the poverty line -

Food Banks Did you know that around 13 million people in the UK live below the poverty line and hunger and poverty in our community are increasing year on year? Many of us won’t associate these problems with our own society but it is now more common than it has ever been. If you have been to a local supermarket, no doubt you will have seen a trolley or wheelie bin dotted around as donation points for food to help some of our most needy families? Five years ago we had hardly heard of a food bank; we knew that mountains of food were being wasted, but hadn’t seen a food bank in the UK. Today, these are vital sources of assistance to meet people’s basic need to survive.

Redundancy, illness, benefit cuts or rejection, unexpected bills, underemployment and family breakdown are all reasons that could propel individuals and families into poverty and into the need for food bank supplies. The cost of everyday living is ever increasing with rising food and fuel prices and levels of income are simply not in keeping with this – despite what the government may say.

The Trussell Trust fed nearly 1,000,000 people in 2013-2014, with over 300,000 being children. In our modern society, how can this be possible?

Thankfully we have trained multi-agency professionals such as doctors, social workers, health visitors and the police, who can identify individuals in crisis and organise support for them. A voucher system is in place where they can be exchanged at food banks for emergency supplies. The Trussell Trust will provide emergency assistance for a minimum of 3 days, but not all food bank operators adhere to this rule. Once food donations have been received at the food bank, they are sorted and packed into boxes by volunteers, who also guide people in crisis to the agencies who are able to help them with longer term issues.

So next time you seen that lone trolley in the middle of the entrance, just as the smell of freshly baked bread

hits you as you walk in, take a look at what is in the trolley and spare a thought for the genuine people in crisis who need your help. They rely so heavily on the donations of members of the public like you and me as well as organised collections through local schools, churches and businesses. We have recently had Harvest Festival which for decades has raised stacks of unperishable goods for people in need; always expertly distributed and much appreciated. The most popular items for food bank donations are:

n Milk (UHT/ powdered) n Sugar n Fruit juice (long-life) n Soup (tinned) n Pasta sauce (jar/tinned) n Sponge pudding (tinned) n Tomatoes (tinned) n Cereals

n Rice pudding (tinned) n Tea bags/coffee n Instant mash n Rice/pasta n Tinned meat/fish n Tinned vegetables n Tinned fruit n Jam n Biscuits/snack bars

The next time you need to do your shopping, why not purchase a few extra items as above and pop them into the collection point of your local store. Value brands are great as you can get so many more items for your money which can help more and more people in crisis. Also, take a look in your cupboards at home and if there are items that are still usable but you know they won’t get used, donate them rather than throw them away. There are many registered food banks that take online cash donations if you would like to help make a difference but don’t have a food bank near you.

If we all donated something, just one item once a week, think how much help that would be giving people in our community who are going hungry. Who knows when the wheel of fortune will turn for any of us in a world so upside-down.

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Keeping Cyber Safe

As technological advances speed up and we are introduced to more and more sophisticated desktops, laptop, tablets and smartphones, do you ever wonder what to do with your old IT equipment? For personal users, you can’t just throw it in the bin, take it to the dump or donate to charity – who knows which techno smartypants could get hold of it, restore it and access all your old data? For businesses, data protection issues carry massive legal and financial implications, so where is your peace of mind in staying cyber safe? Secure ITAD, are a local business based in Halstead, Essex, who make computer recycling easy and their team of professionals are experts in data wiping and IT disposal.

Recycling and data wiping services include: n Dedicated management to all recycling collections n Comprehensive collection service n Fully WEEE compliant n Full Asset List n Secure Data Wiping / Data Destruction n Certification of Data Erase & Disposal They have been specialising in the computer disposal, data wiping, data destruction services for many years, dealing with many of the biggest corporate and public sector organisations in the country. Their mission is to educate and inform people of the importance of the eradication of data from redundant IT equipment, so you are cyber safe and legal. The average cost of a cyber-security breach for SMEs in the UK is between £65,000 and £115,000 and there is also a new EU directive looming for data breached being implemented at the end of 2015.

Secure ITAD work with their clients to provide a secure disposal service of their redundant or broken IT equipment. They are fully accredited and compliant so you can rest assured that from a legal standpoint the disposal of your IT equipment and data is in the safest of hands. IT recycling is on the increase, many companies and users of electronics are starting to realise that they need to comply with the Environment Agencies WEEE Directive and are now becoming aware of the dangers of their data being used by others.

Secure ITAD has designed and built its very own custom Data Wiping machine that is portable so your data never has to leave your home or business if you wish, eliminating any risk imposed by transportation to an off-site facility. They now also offer cyber insurance and have teamed up with Whinney Insurance Brokers offering protection for as little as £35 per month (+ VAT); a small price to pay when you realise that The ICO can now fine businesses up to £500,000 as a result of breaches of the Data Protection Act. The UK Government estimated that 60% of small businesses suffered a cyber breach in 2014 and very few of those companies have a cyber insurance policy in place to protect them.

Their computer disposal staff will firstly arrange a suitable time to collect your equipment and then provide you with an ‘Asset Transfer Note’ which will transfer liability of your old equipment to them. Your redundant IT equipment will be data wiped or all hard drives and storage media destroyed, providing you with an asset list and a certificate of data destruction.

So for total peace of mind, contact Secure ITAD on 01787 477 999 or visit their website at: www.secureitad.co.uk

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K i n g s W e a lt h M a n a g e m e n t Wealth Investments.

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Wills Trusts No Will The courts have taken custody of children for up to 2 years while ‘they’ decide who will have them. Here are some other things to take into consideration; Marriage after Death If you die, your assets go to the surviving spouse.

If they then remarry and then divorce, that new partner gets 50% of the assets from your surviving spouse.

Worse still, if your surviving spouse predeceases the new partner, they get 100% of the assets.

What do your children get from your marriage to your surviving spouse? Nothing!

Inheritance Tax Ensure that once your children receive an inheritance, it cannot be attacked by divorce settlements or creditors.

For example; If you leave your son and daughter £250,000 each, they then get married, but then divorce, their spouse can take 50%.

Bloodline Planning If your son or daughter predeceases their spouse, then the spouse gets 100% of what you gave them.

You may have worked for 40 years to earn this money. You wish for your 2 children to benefit

from it giving them the equivalent of 20 years each. In a divorce, their partners can take 10 years of your working life each!

Long-Term Care Costs If you have more than £23,000 in assets in the current tax year (14/15), then your home is at risk of being sold to pay for long-term care. You may well think that if your parents die, you will get their main home assets? Think again!

Life Insurance and Death in Service Benefits If you have Life Insurance or Death in Service Benefits with an employer, where are the benefits paid? Could this lead to a future Tax problem?

What are the options available to you?

Speak to us TODAY Simply call in or telephone to make a suitable time to discuss this further.

l l i W t s a L & t n e m a t s e T

2 - 4 New Street Braintree Essex CM7 1ES Telephone: 01376 320 999 www.kingsfinancial.co.uk 31 Editorial details provided by Kings

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