The changing nature of families, increasing pressures on finances and the ageing population are making it harder to forecast legacy income. Richard Radcliffe explains why communicating in the right way with next of kin and executors is vital.

Families are not as simple as they used to be. What is a family now? We have step-families, blended families and so-called ‘framilies’ – a support network of family and friends who are equally close. Lifestyles are changing, as many of us personally can attest to (I am a Catholic and on my second marriage).