If you have been appointed executor in a Will, or you are dealing with an estate where there is no Will, there is a lot to get right while you are still grieving.
Our probate solicitors, part of our wider wills and probate team, take on that administration for you. Probate can look straightforward at first and turn out to be anything but, and there are steps that need to be followed in the right order. We make sure the estate is dealt with quickly and correctly, which reduces risk for personal representatives and helps avoid friction within the family.
Probate is the process of getting the court’s permission to distribute someone’s estate. It is needed even where there is a valid Will, and obtaining it is normally the first duty of the executor named in the Will.
There is usually a set sequence to follow: obtaining the grant of probate, or letters of administration if there is no Will, preparing tax returns for income tax and Inheritance Tax, settling any administration income tax or capital gains tax before distribution, gathering in the assets of the estate, and distributing them according to the Will, or the intestacy rules if there is not one. Missing a step, or doing them in the wrong order, is often what turns a straightforward estate into a complicated one.
If you have been named as executor and are not sure where to start, we can take on as much or as little of the process as you would like, from a single piece of advice through to managing the whole estate on your behalf. We can also act as administrators for the estate, or guide you through the process while you take the grant yourself.
We take the pressure off by handling this process for you, so you can focus on your family rather than the paperwork. From the first grant application through to the final distribution, we keep you informed at each stage. It is worth talking to our team of specialists early on, even before you are sure exactly what is involved.
If there is a dispute about the estate, or the beneficiaries want to change the terms of a Will after the event, our specialist probate solicitors can advise you on the options available.
If you are dealing with probate, whether as an executor or because there is no Will, get in touch. Complete our enquiry form or contact your nearest Hine Solicitors office to arrange an appointment. Wendy Flawn, Samantha Stafrace, Adam Bragg and Jade Bacon are among the team who can help.
You really have been brilliant. I know it wasn’t always easy. Thank you so much for finalising the estate. We won’t forget you!
Thank you for all the work you did for us. You made a horrible time much less stressful than it could have been
Thank you for your speedy understanding service, a task we were dreading you made easy for us. It was a pleasure to meet and deal with you
I cannot express my gratitude for the sympathetic and compassionate way you were toward me. You made an extremely upsetting situation bearable