My (considerable) experience of family wills tells me that nobody can be trusted following a death and it should all be wrapped up tightly even if some IHT does have to be paid. Second marriages are the worst where the survivor nearly always syphons the money to their side of the family regardless of the wishes of the deceased who earned it.
Indeed. It's where inheritance laws in this country are outdated. It's well known but any attempt to sort it out is met with squeals. So on it goes.
In this instance I can understand Linda wanting to leave as much as she could to her sons. She wanted disposable cash to leave to them hence writing her book. Folks buying the book knew what she was doing. She will have paid 45p tax on her earnings. To then immediately have a further 40p inheritance tax applied is effectively a 66% tax rate on her earnings. Basically sons get one third and tax man two thirds. Is this fair? Open for debate. By leaving all her estate to her spouse inheritance tax was avoided.
It's known and accepted that inheritance tax is so unfair. It impacts those families who have someone die young before they've even thought about tax planning. Couple killed together in car crash. Revenue gets big sums from relatively small number of people. Classic example was Diana Princess of Wales. Estate clobbered with massive inheritance tax bill. I'm sure not too much angst about that but it shows incidents/deaths that trigger big bills.
Poor Lynda. She doesn't seem to have had much luck with husbands.
Two violent ones and one who appears to have been a leech.
This, and by the looks of things two sons, who, by their own admission, she struggled to send to private schools during her lean years who can't seem to make a living for themselves and now live with their Dad. It appears all of the men in her life are weak characters She couldn't have been so silly to trust a man who was convicted of fraud with her children's inheritance, could she?
There is no way Linda would have wanted her sons to miss out on the inheritance
Most normal people want to leave their money to their family
Yes, it does appear she was naive and trusting.
She wasn't to know what a rat he would turn out to be!
Maybe not, but she may not have wanted her boys to have a cash lump sum at this point in their lives, but rather wait until her husband dies and they share in the remaining property.
I was a little taken aback at the tone of her funeral letter to them - particularly as it was not private - and I can't help thinking that there was friction in the relationships towards the end of her life.
Maybe not, but she may not have wanted her boys to have a cash lump sum at this point in their lives, but rather wait until her husband dies and they share in the remaining property.
I was a little taken aback at the tone of her funeral letter to them - particularly as it was not private - and I can't help thinking that there was friction in the relationships towards the end of her life.
Me too, and I cant understand why they would have anything to do with the man who battered their Mother, never mind giver her a hard time about leaving him.
Maybe not, but she may not have wanted her boys to have a cash lump sum at this point in their lives, but rather wait until her husband dies and they share in the remaining property.
I was a little takcen aback at the tone of her funeral letter to them - particularly as it was not private - and I can't help thinking that there was friction in the relationships towards the end of her life.
When he dies, they may get nothing- it could go to his side of the family, as another poster has said
It's such a shame Linda relied on him to do the right thing
She was badly advised
Me too, and I cant understand why they would have anything to do with the man who battered their Mother, never mind giver her a hard time about leaving him.
... and then not go to their mother's wedding to Pattemore because their father was finding it hard to deal with! But they said they went to the do afterwards, that's alright then *roll eyes* Did they think their mother wouldn't be upset at her only children not being at her wedding? But it doesn't matter, daddy came first.
I know we don't know the full story but it seems to me that these two sided more with their father all the time which considering that we know he beat her is surprising to say the least.
Like another poster has said above I think that Linda's had a bit of a fractious relationship with her sons, all wasn't rosy in the garden. But having said that if Linda expressed publicly that she wanted her sons looked after and that alone should help their case especially if she expressed publicly that the profits from her best selling book were meant to be for her sons.
Poor Linda. She had dreadful taste in men didn't she? She really seemed to think that she'd hit the jackpot with Pattemore and must have trusted him implicitly which is amazing considering he'd been jailed for fraud and (IMO) looks like a spivvy, dodgy sort!
When he dies, they may get nothing- it could go to his side of the family, as another poster has said
It's such a shame Linda relied on him to do the right thing
She was badly advised
I would say you are right. He'll have blown the money and moved on. The money he has is his to do what he likes with it.
Not if Lynda specifically left instructions for him to distribute the wealth.
But she doesn't appear to have dine that, it seems there may have been an understanding about it, but nothing proved
If only she had done her will properly
Not if Lynda specifically left instructions for him to distribute the wealth.
You can't leave money to someone and then dictate what they do with it legally. If she wanted her sons to get the proceeds of her book she should have stated so in her will. They would have incurred 40% inheritance tax though.
You can't leave money to someone and then dictate what they do with it legally. If she wanted her sons to get the proceeds of her book she should have stated so in her will. They would have incurred 40% inheritance tax though.
I've just watched the Loose Women clip on here from todays show and she just said she wanted the boys to be looked after, which was really silly as that could mean anything. He gave them £750 each. He also said it was Lyndas dying wish that he would get a hair transplant which it totally ridiculous.
He also said it was Lyndas dying wish that he would get a hair transplant which it totally ridiculous.
I suppose he'd say it was her dying wish that he should go to Dubai 3 times since her death, go on numerous holidays, a round the world cruise and write a book where he claims to have made love to her ghost.
This just shows that if you want your kids or anyone come to that to get certain things make sure you right it down not just say it and trust someone to do it. She may well have written the will in good faith believing her sons would be looked after , he doesn't appear to have done that . But whilst I find some of his utterings since her death cringeworthy who looked after her during her illness ? she certainly saw him as her "rock"
I don't think he was just out for money but if she said she wanted her boys looked after then he should do that, but of course it does depend on how the money was left, if there was cash then split it, if it was a property he lives in that she owned then make sure if you sell you give them some or bequeath it to them in his will and make sure they know that is done and they have a copy.
Pattemore has cleverly spent the money dining and drinking his way around the world, no doubt travelling first class and staying in top hotels. When the money has gone, it's gone.
If he had spent the money on property, art work, etc. there may be a way he could be forced to sell what he has improperly gained and to give Lynda's children the proceeds.
It seems obvious to me that Michael was rather a con-man. I could not believe it when Lynda married him. It is undeniable that Lynda knew she was dying and had about 10 months to get her estate in order. It seems shocking that she would not give her sons anything or even write a letter to them explaining what she wanted. They had time to discuss everything before she died. The fact is she has written a will leaving everything to her husband and had enough time to change it if she wanted to.
It seems she worked herself to death supporting three adult men who were not able to take care of themselves financially. Her boys are what, 27 and 36!!! Still living with Dad? Bizarre. Perhaps she thought if she left them a lump sum of money it would eventually end up with her previous (violent) husband's bank account? Who knows??
I will always remember her, looking desperately ill, plugging her book on Loose Women and other various programmes when she should have been in hospital. It is shameful that this money is now being thrown out the window by her husband, doing world tours, hair transplants etc.
She was a beautiful, articulate, funny, intelligent woman with a wonderful warm heart. I would have thought they were hundreds of decent caring men who would have been delighted to date Lynda. But, she ended up with con-man, previous convicted for fraud as her third husband!! I remember in the newspapers at the time of the wedding they described Michael as a millionaire property developer???? Wasn't he lucky to meet Lynda as the bottom fell out of the property market in Spain.
Signed whilst on morphine apparently? I'd say that's very contestable grounds to void the will legally.
If I remember correctly, Lynda had her operation to remove her tumour something like a year before she died. She was getting chemo before she died but even if she was in a drugged state when she wrote her will, she had ample time before her death to change it. It seems incredible she would put her two sons into this kind of position just because she was trying to avoid inheritance tax! Surely, she could have put something down in writing about the amount of the estate she wanted to give her sons, even if she could not put that down in the will?
Perhaps she was sick and tired of supporting them? They are now adults but still live with their Dad!!! I think the 27 year old was asked to leave the family home when Lynda died!! Michael sounds like a very charming man!!!! Yikes
Makes sense. Risk taken that husband can be trusted. Trust misplaced. She should have gifted monies to her sons earlier to avoid inheritance tax. Sadly it seems avoiding tax has led to sons getting nothing.
That is an extremely good point. Why did Lynda not give her sons money BEFORE her death. Many families I know have done this, lump sums to help with mortgages etc but it is a part of the eventual estate, you avoid inheritance tax and then everyone is looked after. No need to trust a step-father to sort out the financial situation later.
Lynda knew about Michael's arrest for fraud. But I am constantly shocked by women who do the most ridiculous things out of "love". Women who fall for internet fraud for example, sending thousands and thousands of pounds to men they have only ever had an email "relationship", never met them face to face and yet are so easily fooled. Bizarre
That is an extremely good point. Why did Lynda not give her sons money BEFORE her death. Many families I know have done this, lump sums to help with mortgages etc but it is a part of the eventual estate, you avoid inheritance tax and then everyone is looked after. No need to trust a step-father to sort out the financial situation later.
Lynda knew about Michael's arrest for fraud. But I am constantly shocked by women who do the most ridiculous things out of "love". Women who fall for internet fraud for example, sending thousands and thousands of pounds to men they have only ever had an email "relationship", never met them face to face and yet are so easily fooled. Bizarre
They'd have to pay tax on the monies. No doubt at a lower rate than 45% as they are not high earners. Still a cumulative tax rate on the book proceeds of nigh on 60%. If she'd gifted them money more than 7 years ago then they would have got it tax free. The only way to avoid double tax in this instance was leave it to her husband.
It seems obvious to me that Michael was rather a con-man. I could not believe it when Lynda married him. It is undeniable that Lynda knew she was dying and had about 10 months to get her estate in order. It seems shocking that she would not give her sons anything or even write a letter to them explaining what she wanted. They had time to discuss everything before she died. The fact is she has written a will leaving everything to her husband and had enough time to change it if she wanted to.
It seems she worked herself to death supporting three adult men who were not able to take care of themselves financially. Her boys are what, 27 and 36!!! Still living with Dad? Bizarre. Perhaps she thought if she left them a lump sum of money it would eventually end up with her previous (violent) husband's bank account? Who knows??
I will always remember her, looking desperately ill, plugging her book on Loose Women and other various programmes when she should have been in hospital. It is shameful that this money is now being thrown out the window by her husband, doing world tours, hair transplants etc.
She was a beautiful, articulate, funny, intelligent woman with a wonderful warm heart. I would have thought they were hundreds of decent caring men who would have been delighted to date Lynda. But, she ended up with con-man, previous convicted for fraud as her third husband!! I remember in the newspapers at the time of the wedding they described Michael as a millionaire property developer???? Wasn't he lucky to meet Lynda as the bottom fell out of the property market in Spain.
BIB: Is there not a possibility that she wanted to continue her TV appearances however ill she was? There's nothing to say that she should have been in hospital - it was her choice, and maybe she was happier working, despite her condition.
Linda was a smart and intelligent woman and I am sure she knew exactly what she was doing, and had plenty of time to change the will if she so desired. She was clearly in charge of all her faculties when appearing on Loose women and This Morning very shortly before her death
There is definitely more to this one sided story than meets the eye
Comments
Indeed. It's where inheritance laws in this country are outdated. It's well known but any attempt to sort it out is met with squeals. So on it goes.
In this instance I can understand Linda wanting to leave as much as she could to her sons. She wanted disposable cash to leave to them hence writing her book. Folks buying the book knew what she was doing. She will have paid 45p tax on her earnings. To then immediately have a further 40p inheritance tax applied is effectively a 66% tax rate on her earnings. Basically sons get one third and tax man two thirds. Is this fair? Open for debate. By leaving all her estate to her spouse inheritance tax was avoided.
It's known and accepted that inheritance tax is so unfair. It impacts those families who have someone die young before they've even thought about tax planning. Couple killed together in car crash. Revenue gets big sums from relatively small number of people. Classic example was Diana Princess of Wales. Estate clobbered with massive inheritance tax bill. I'm sure not too much angst about that but it shows incidents/deaths that trigger big bills.
This, and by the looks of things two sons, who, by their own admission, she struggled to send to private schools during her lean years who can't seem to make a living for themselves and now live with their Dad. It appears all of the men in her life are weak characters
Maybe not, but she may not have wanted her boys to have a cash lump sum at this point in their lives, but rather wait until her husband dies and they share in the remaining property.
I was a little taken aback at the tone of her funeral letter to them - particularly as it was not private - and I can't help thinking that there was friction in the relationships towards the end of her life.
Me too, and I cant understand why they would have anything to do with the man who battered their Mother, never mind giver her a hard time about leaving him.
It's such a shame Linda relied on him to do the right thing
She was badly advised
... and then not go to their mother's wedding to Pattemore because their father was finding it hard to deal with! But they said they went to the do afterwards, that's alright then *roll eyes* Did they think their mother wouldn't be upset at her only children not being at her wedding? But it doesn't matter, daddy came first.
I know we don't know the full story but it seems to me that these two sided more with their father all the time which considering that we know he beat her is surprising to say the least.
Like another poster has said above I think that Linda's had a bit of a fractious relationship with her sons, all wasn't rosy in the garden. But having said that if Linda expressed publicly that she wanted her sons looked after and that alone should help their case especially if she expressed publicly that the profits from her best selling book were meant to be for her sons.
Poor Linda. She had dreadful taste in men didn't she? She really seemed to think that she'd hit the jackpot with Pattemore and must have trusted him implicitly which is amazing considering he'd been jailed for fraud and (IMO) looks like a spivvy, dodgy sort!
I would say you are right. He'll have blown the money and moved on. The money he has is his to do what he likes with it.
Not if Lynda specifically left instructions for him to distribute the wealth.
But she doesn't appear to have dine that, it seems there may have been an understanding about it, but nothing proved
If only she had done her will properly
You can't leave money to someone and then dictate what they do with it legally. If she wanted her sons to get the proceeds of her book she should have stated so in her will. They would have incurred 40% inheritance tax though.
I've just watched the Loose Women clip on here from todays show and she just said she wanted the boys to be looked after, which was really silly as that could mean anything. He gave them £750 each. He also said it was Lyndas dying wish that he would get a hair transplant which it totally ridiculous.
I suppose he'd say it was her dying wish that he should go to Dubai 3 times since her death, go on numerous holidays, a round the world cruise and write a book where he claims to have made love to her ghost.
What an odious little man.
http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/loose-women/news/a790174/loose-womens-nadia-sawalha-outraged-by-michael-pattemore-claims-had-sex-with-lynda-bellingham-ghost/
Thank you. I missed this
I don't think he was just out for money but if she said she wanted her boys looked after then he should do that, but of course it does depend on how the money was left, if there was cash then split it, if it was a property he lives in that she owned then make sure if you sell you give them some or bequeath it to them in his will and make sure they know that is done and they have a copy.
If he had spent the money on property, art work, etc. there may be a way he could be forced to sell what he has improperly gained and to give Lynda's children the proceeds.
He has been clever, no doubt about that.
It seems she worked herself to death supporting three adult men who were not able to take care of themselves financially. Her boys are what, 27 and 36!!! Still living with Dad? Bizarre. Perhaps she thought if she left them a lump sum of money it would eventually end up with her previous (violent) husband's bank account? Who knows??
I will always remember her, looking desperately ill, plugging her book on Loose Women and other various programmes when she should have been in hospital. It is shameful that this money is now being thrown out the window by her husband, doing world tours, hair transplants etc.
She was a beautiful, articulate, funny, intelligent woman with a wonderful warm heart. I would have thought they were hundreds of decent caring men who would have been delighted to date Lynda. But, she ended up with con-man, previous convicted for fraud as her third husband!! I remember in the newspapers at the time of the wedding they described Michael as a millionaire property developer???? Wasn't he lucky to meet Lynda as the bottom fell out of the property market in Spain.
If I remember correctly, Lynda had her operation to remove her tumour something like a year before she died. She was getting chemo before she died but even if she was in a drugged state when she wrote her will, she had ample time before her death to change it. It seems incredible she would put her two sons into this kind of position just because she was trying to avoid inheritance tax! Surely, she could have put something down in writing about the amount of the estate she wanted to give her sons, even if she could not put that down in the will?
Perhaps she was sick and tired of supporting them? They are now adults but still live with their Dad!!! I think the 27 year old was asked to leave the family home when Lynda died!! Michael sounds like a very charming man!!!! Yikes
That is an extremely good point. Why did Lynda not give her sons money BEFORE her death. Many families I know have done this, lump sums to help with mortgages etc but it is a part of the eventual estate, you avoid inheritance tax and then everyone is looked after. No need to trust a step-father to sort out the financial situation later.
Lynda knew about Michael's arrest for fraud. But I am constantly shocked by women who do the most ridiculous things out of "love". Women who fall for internet fraud for example, sending thousands and thousands of pounds to men they have only ever had an email "relationship", never met them face to face and yet are so easily fooled. Bizarre
They'd have to pay tax on the monies. No doubt at a lower rate than 45% as they are not high earners. Still a cumulative tax rate on the book proceeds of nigh on 60%. If she'd gifted them money more than 7 years ago then they would have got it tax free. The only way to avoid double tax in this instance was leave it to her husband.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2887225/Lynda-Bellingham-s-widower-hangs-OXO-cubes-hotel-tree-flies-Dubai-Christmas-without-beloved-wife.html
BIB: Is there not a possibility that she wanted to continue her TV appearances however ill she was? There's nothing to say that she should have been in hospital - it was her choice, and maybe she was happier working, despite her condition.
There is definitely more to this one sided story than meets the eye