PROBATE
& TRUSTS
Professional services at difficult and sensitive times
FROM SMALL TO COMPLICATED ESTATES
With many years’ specialising in Probate and Trusts. We can provide professional and practical legal advice on all aspects of administering an estate whether the deceased person left a will or not.
We understand that bereavement is a difficult and stressful time, which is why our professional yet compassionate service will help you settle the deceased’s affairs promptly and efficiently.
We do not charge a percentage of the estate value as part of our fee
Specialist Advice
-
Dealing with savings
-
Investments and property
-
The family home
-
Business assets
-
Farm land and caravan sites
-
Family and other trust/settlement arrangements
-
Estates both under and over the Inheritance Tax threshold
WHAT IS PROBATE?
What is Probate?
'Probate' is the name generally given to the process of administering someone's estate when they die.
When someone dies owning signicant assets, a formal 'grant' must be obtained from a Court to enable their estate to be collected in and divided between their beneciaries.
'Probate' is used to describe both the Grant of Probate and the process involved in obtaining it. It includes making an inheritance tax return to HMRC and paying the tax due; nalising income tax aairs and pensions; collecting in the estate from banks, building societies and selling assets; paying money due to beneciaries; making any gifts of items to beneciaries; preparing accounts for the estate.
There are actually two types of Grants: Probate and Letters of Administration.
Probate is granted when the person who has died left a valid Will, and is granted to one or all of the executors named in that Will.
Letters of Administration are granted when the person who has died did not leave a valid Will. Most people still refer to it as 'Probate' because, for all practical purposes, the two types of Grant are identical. There are some dierences in the process before the Grant is issued.