PROBATE

We fully appreciate that sensitivity and understanding are the watchwords when you have lost friends or family and you seek our advice.

By way of explanation, Personal Representatives (PR's) are the persons named in a will to act as the Executors, or the next of kin of someone who has died Intestate (without leaving a will). The role of PR's can be very demanding in terms of time and the role does carry fairly weighty legal and financial responsibilities. These duties and responsibilities have to be carried out at the time when you have lost someone close to you. With this in mind, if you instruct us to deal with an estate, we will do our level best to relieve you of much of the burden by:-

Obtaining Probate or Letters of Administration without you having to attend the Probate Court.

Ensuring that the wishes of the deceased are fully carried out.

Winding the estate up as promptly and efficiently as possible.

You may feel that the estate you are involved in is straightforward, but we would suggest that as the Executor/Potential Administrator, you have an initial consultation with us, so that we can advise you as to what action needs to be taken.

We will always explain to you at an early stage how we calculate our charges, so that you know where you are in terms of legal costs.

Services we carry out:-

• Ascertaining the values of the various assets in the estate and collating all the information to prepare the Probate forms, including Inland Revenue forms (where appropriate).

• Obtaining a Grant of Probate (where there is a Will) or Letters of Administration (where there is no Will).

• Advising on Inheritance Tax planning post death (Deeds of Variation).

• Advertising (if necessary) to see if the deceased had any debts.

• Discharging the funeral expenses at an early stage.

• Closing the various accounts, selling any shares and so on. Settling any legacies.

• Ensuring the Beneficiaries receive their proper entitlement.

• Preparing final Estate Accounts for your approval.