Delays and problems at the probate office are causing further stress and anguish to the recently bereaved. What is probate? When a person dies, the person named as executor in the deceased’s will need to apply for grant of probate before they can deal with the deceased’s finances and share out their assets. Are there […]
Probate problems during pandemic
The death of a loved one is hard enough in normal times but when you can’t get into the bank or speak to a customer service representative, it can make things even harder. During the current Coronavirus crisis, many bereaved people are struggling to register the death of a loved one due to council offices […]
Trouble registering a death
With most of the UK in lockdown registering a death can be difficult. You cannot register the death in person, instead councils are offering telephone appointments.
What is an Executor Responsible For?
An Executor is responsible for applying for a Grant of Probate and administering a deceased person’s estate.
When is a Probate Solicitor Needed?
When Probate is needed on a deceased person’s estate, the Executors or Administrators often use a Probate solicitor. If you are going through the Probate process, there is no obligation to use a Probate solicitor. However, it removes a significant responsibility from your shoulders. To speak to a Probate solicitor, contact us now for a […]
No Will? Cohabitees won’t inherit a penny
The number of families in the UK continues to grow, with cohabiting couple families growing the fastest according to the ONS. In 2017, of the 19 million UK families recorded, 3.3 million were cohabiting. It is perhaps therefore surprising that intestacy rules still fail to provide for cohabitees, regardless of the length of cohabitation. If […]
Buying out co-inheritees: stamp duty and capital gains tax
It is not uncommon for a parent to leave their home in their Will to a number of their children – and sometimes one child will want to buy out the others rather than putting the property on the market. In such circumstances, stamp duty is likely to be payable, calculated on the value of […]
Act now to avoid probate fee hikes in April
Most families who have recently lost a loved one should not delay in applying for probate if they want to avoid a substantial hike in probate fees. From April 2019, many estates will pay significantly more when applying for a grant, with increases of up £5,785 on the cards. However, whilst estates worth £50,000 or […]
Probate and the burden of paperwork – what to keep and what to throw
When taking care of an elderly relative, one question that occurs to many people is what correspondence they should retain. Paperwork can mount up quickly and can make dealing with the person’s estate when they die a long and arduous process. On the other hand, binning letters and statements carries the risk of identity theft. […]