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UK executors administering estates with US shares are facing unprecedented delays of two to three years when seeking IRS estate tax clearance through Form 706-NA applications. These processing bottlenecks, stemming from pandemic-related backlogs and ongoing IRS staffing pressures, are preventing executors from completing estate administration and leaving beneficiaries waiting years to receive their inheritance from US investments.

The UK Government has launched two critical consultations on the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, focusing on valuation rates for lease extensions and freehold purchases, and the allocation of professional costs in enfranchisement claims. These reforms aim to introduce greater certainty and transparency into a process that has historically been expensive and unpredictable for leaseholders seeking to extend leases or acquire freeholds.

The Supreme Court has ruled that Home Office civil penalty notices for illegal working must clearly specify the exact basis of an employer's alleged liability, not simply list all possible reasons. This landmark decision affects how employers can challenge penalties and what information they're entitled to receive when accused of employing workers without proper permission.