Tax: Operative mistakes and unintended consequences

Lawrence Hiller-Wood and Richard Dew discuss the High Court’s current approach to setting aside mistakes Care should always be taken when dealing with or amending pre-2006 interests in possession to ensure that there are no unintended or costly consequences. The recent High Court decision in Hopes v Burton [2022] is a helpful reminder of the …
This post is only available to members.

Ware v Ware [2021] WTLR 725

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | Summer 2021 #183

The claimant’s father (the testator) died on 21 October 2003 leaving his half share in the matrimonial home and his residual estate to his wife, the defendant, absolutely. On 4 October 2005 the defendant varied those dispositions by a deed of variation which, for inheritance tax purposes, was read back to the date of the testator’s death. The deed of variation created two trusts: the property trust and the will trust.

The property trust held the testator’s half share in the matrimonial property on trust for the defendant for life, with the remainder to the claima...