People in the UK are generally more prepared for the death that overcomes us all eventually. At least that’s according to Will Aid as posted in Today’s Wills and Probate e-magazine. The number of people ‘with their affairs is order’ now stands at 50%. That’s up from 47% … [Read more...]
Conflicts between Next of Kin and Executors
Misunderstandings are a feature of UK probate when next of kin and executors don’t understand how the legalities work. The former may rightly believe they own the deceased’s entire estate. However, the executor must first obtain the necessary clearances to hand it … [Read more...]
UK Inheritance Tax – What You May Need to Know
Inheritance tax is due on the value of the estate of a person who has died. It’s best not to try to avoid this step. That’s because the probate office will not agree to the distribution account without seeing an inheritance tax receipt. However, there may be a … [Read more...]
Reasons Why You Might Need to Know Who Died First
This may seem a strange question but then probate has lots of unusual twists and turns. Let’s imagine a case - just for example - where two oldies became an item in a retirement home. While this may seem somewhat strange to youngsters, the fire of love often burns … [Read more...]
Probate House Clearance In London – Ships Cannon Found In Garden
18th Century Naval Ships Cannon From Probate House Clearance It was June 2019 when I was contacted by an executor who was winding up his late father's estate and had instructed me to carry out a full probate valuation of the house contents and chattels. This was a … [Read more...]
An Overview of What Being an Executor Implies
You are legally responsible for the assets of a deceased person if you are appointed the executor of their estate, and there is a legal will. There may be other executors of course, including the solicitor who drafted the will, and the late person’s spouse or trusted … [Read more...]
Why You May Not Need a Solicitor to Apply for Probate
Having a friend suddenly die on you can put your mind in a spin. You have a horde of things to do ranging from calling the family doctor and arranging a death certificate, to contacting a funeral director to make arrangements. Moreover, you may find yourself in … [Read more...]
A Bad Apple Almost Robs a Family of Their Past
It was once fashionable for people to leave their ‘earthly possessions’ to the fortunate few. Presumably this was since their wealth in the ‘heavenly realms’ did not have title deeds for solicitors to transfer. The digital era has re-awakened the debate regarding … [Read more...]
Are UK Probate Delays Manipulative? Not an Easy Call
We’re not making direct insinuations because we don’t have hard evidence to hand. However, one way to find the reason for an unexpected change is to ask who benefits. The Express romped in with the banner headline on May 8, 2019, ‘Probate delay: Bereaved families … [Read more...]
Three Ways Executors Get into Trouble with Probate Law
Being an executor of an estate is a serious responsibility. It should not be taken on lightly, especially if you don’t fully understand the law. That because estate beneficiaries could sue you if they end up being out of pocket. We have heard of cases where quite large … [Read more...]
