The principals of estate administration and the probate process is similar whether there is a Will or not.
Dealing with the estate of a deceased person can be time consuming and complex.
In brief the steps we take are:
- Once the death is registered we liaise with the Executor, if there is a Will, or next-of-kin if there is no Will. We visit the family to gather (or copy) the necessary documents, such as bank accounts, deeds, shares and investments, so we can complete the paperwork and contact the relevant creditors and debtors for exact valuations.
- As you arrange the funeral, we can liaise with banks to pay the funeral director from the estate. We will then complete and submit the correct forms to the Probate Registry, if a Grant of Representation is required, together with the application fee. This means that you do not need to attend any interview.
- If any Inheritance Tax is due, we can advise on the payment options. When all (or some) of the tax has been paid, then a Grant of Representation can be issued.
- During the administration process, to save you the difficulty, we will notify institutions such as the Pension Service, Passport Agency, DVLA, Council, utility companies, insurance companies, Benefits Agency and HM Revenue & Customs as necessary, and will check the Capital Gains Tax and Income Tax situation.
- Then, using the Grant of Representation, we will collect in all assets, release sufficient cash to pay all debts and transfers of legacies, and will close all accounts where appropriate. Finally, we produce a complete statement to summarise the financial situation and, once this has been approved by our client, the estate can be distributed to the beneficiaries.
If you would like to know more about the probate process, call us on 01920 449700 to speak directly to our administration team for more advice. Or we can arrange a free visit to give you a fixed price to fully administer the estate in question.
