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The Life of Brian Riley, Phase 2 – Brian is now 9

Brian is now 9, and boarding at Ramsdean as planned. He is called into the head's office to discuss, he assumes, his future; all of the class is going through the same routine. Instead, the head informs him that his mother is coming to collect him, due to an emergency. Later that day his mother tells Brian that his father died last night, in a hit and run motor accident.

His father left everything to his mother, including £40,000 outstanding on the mortgage. He had stopped the capital repayments 5 years ago, but maintained the interest payments (currently at 6%) and mortgage protection policy, which will payout £30,000. There are sundry other debts of £8,000 and private life assurance totalling £60,000. He had no investments except collections of antique glass and Edwardian photographs, which might raise perhaps £10,000 if sold. There is also £200 worth of premium bonds.

There is a widow's and dependant's pension of about £10,000 pa, plus a tax free cash sum of £80,000 payable through Arthur's pension scheme. The scheme administrator informs Mavis that Arthur's beneficiary nomination form (needed by the pension scheme to distribute the tax free cash and death in service benefits) shows that he requested half of any death in service sums to be paid to Rachel Shaw, his secretary. Mavis is naturally shocked and upset at this, and takes legal advice. She plans to 'recover' the balance of the lump sum for her own use. It may however, take some time to settle this matter, as it lies in the discretion of the scheme trustees.

The current level of school fees for Ramsdean are £1,266.66 and for St Mildreds £500, per term. Veronica is planning to go to university next year once her 'A' levels are finished. Brian's grandparents, George and Mildred, have said that they will support the children in anyway they can in the short term.

Mavis intends to continue working, in order to take her mind off the tragedy. Her income has risen to £30,000 pa.

Mavis's situation after Arthur's death

Considerations for Mavis

Considerations for Brian

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