Probate and Estate Administration

When someone close to you dies somebody has to deal with their "estate".  A person's estate is considered to be made up of the money, property and any possessions they had at the time of their death.  The process of Probate involves collecting in any money that is owed to the deceased, settling any debts payable from the estate (including any outstanding taxes and any Inheritance tax due on death) and dividing the estate amongst the respective beneficiaries.

All assets (including property) in an estate (except jointly owned assets) will remain frozen, until the Probate Registry gives the authority (via a document know as a Grant of Representation) to the Personal Representative(s).  These are the individual(s) nominated in your Will to act as the "Executor(s)".  If you have no Will, then it is up to the most appropriate member of the family to act on behalf of the estate - usually the main beneficiary under the Rules of Intestacy that govern entitlement when someone dies without a will.

If there is a Will then the estate will pass to the beneficiaries named in the Will.  If there is no Will then the Rules of Intestacy will apply to establish who is entitled to the deceased's estate and in what amounts.

Whether you are an Executor or the next of kin, we can provide practical guidance to help you deal with the administration of someone's estate.  We can help you determine the size of an estate for Probate and Inheritance Tax purposes.