Many of us live in families where children may no longer reside with both natural parents. In most cases very close relationships develop over the years and stepparents can be as concerned as natural parents about the inheritance rights of their stepsons and daughters.

In this article we look into the inheritance implications for stepchildren. Unless you have legally adopted your stepchild, for example, they may have more inheritance tax to pay. Inheritance planning can help ensure that you are all informed and take the best course of action when it comes to bequeathing your assets:

With the current rise in temperatures, the prospect of jumping into your own swimming pool has never been more appealing. However, it is important that you do follow the rules if you want to build a swimming pool of your own. In this article we divide the process into four easy steps and invite you to take the plunge:

Changes to the law as well as the hike in electricity prices have seen the interest in solar energy soar. In many respects this is a success story. Having been limited previously, solar power is now encouraged and people are taking it up in droves.

This article from Money Saver Spain gives you the pros and cons of solar panels if you are considering them for your own property:

Solar Panels For Your Spanish Home: Pros And Cons

In this article we hear how schools and whole communities are coming together to make better use of the country’s most famous asset – the sun:

 
Barcelona school and residents create solar energy community

But, as with most stories, there is a less pleasant side to the growth. In this article it is also claimed that large areas of countryside are being taken in a variety of land grabs that are not always in the best interests of the environment:

 
Why Spain's renewable energy boom is so controversial

The high volume of applications, are, in themselves causing difficulties:

 
The names we adopt after marriage and the names we give to our children can be contentious. In Spain, you might have already noticed that people often have more than one surname and rarely two forenames. A practice that’s reversed in some European countries. But why?

It is tradition that a child is given the paternal and maternal surname. Their children then usually retain the first surname, which generally belonged to their father, and drop the second surname. Obviously, overtime retaining all would be totally impractical:

Why do Spaniards have two surnames?

This article provides a detailed and interesting comparison of the traditions at home and abroad and reminds us of the practical benefits that having two surnames and not changing your maiden name can provide:

 
Spanish naming customs: Explanation, thoughts and FAQs

It is pointed that although the majority of Spaniards still follow this custom, when someone becomes famous they generally opt for just retaining one surname – at least when it comes to the press. In the case of Jennifer Lopez, there was even surprise that she took on Ben Affleck’s surname at all:

 
Jennifer, Ben and last names: Can the woman/brand become ‘Mrs. Affleck’?

If you are based in Murcia and want to get around a bit more quickly without purchasing your own transport then this could be the solution for you. In September the local government will begin a scheme that means 150 motorbikes are available as part of a sharing service:

If you know a young person who was born in 2004 and who is a resident of Spain then you might like to encourage them to apply for a 400€ culture voucher. The voucher provides young people who become 18 in 2022 with three spending options:

200€ that can be spent on live arts, cultural heritage and audio-visual arts
100€ to be spent on cultural products in a physical format such as books or magazines
100€ to be spent on digital or online consumption

Applications for the voucher opened on Monday 25th July and will close on 15th October. To find out more about the voucher scheme and how to apply:

The sound of crickets and cicadas is a noise you associate with hot summer nights in Spain. You know that July and August have arrived when these noisy fellows start their singing. But did you also know that you can actually calculate the temperature from their song?

According to this article from Spanish News Today, they are a pretty accurate measure of how high the mercury is travelling:

How to tell the temperature in Spain from the song of the crickets

At the moment, however, just standing outside my door is enough to tell me that it’s red hot.

They are an endangered species and the Costa Blanca coastline is lucky enough to play host to them at this time of year as they seek safe places to lay their eggs. It’s important that if you do spot one of these giant turtles that you do inform the authorities. Their survival depends upon a close watch being made of where their eggs are laid to prevent them being stolen or the young being eaten by predators.

Every year, great effort is put into protecting these animals. One of the survivors from a previous year, however, seems to be determined to come home to roost:

 
Turtle newly-released in La Manga (Murcia) turns up in Torrevieja (Alicante)

This article provides some basic guidance on what you should and should not do if you come across a loggerhead turtle:

 
Turtle Awareness Campaign Launched

The Olive Press has some pictures of ‘Catherine’ who’s been busy laying eggs on Guardamar del Segura beach:

 
IN PICS: Loggerhead turtle lays 130 eggs in sands of Costa Blanca beach in Spain

We would welcome any suggestions for future themes you would like us to cover either in the newsletter or in an article on Spain Explained.

Please let us know by email at newsletter@abacoadvisers.com.

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