A note from Natasha, our newest team member at The Probate Bureau.

Many people neglect to make a Will, which in my experience as an administrator for The Probate Bureau, result in a number of family issues. These can range from simple family feuds to unnecessary costs of tracking family members, adopted children unable to benefit from their parent’s estate and extra complications during probate administration. It becomes a much simpler process when a Will has been left, giving clear instructions on exactly how the deceased wished to provide for their families, friends or charities.

Probate administration varies with each estate, but the basics are always the same. This means one estate can be finalised much quicker than another depending on what assets the deceased possessed.

The administration of an estate involves a lot of patience and waiting for companies to respond to your letters, which I have found can take up to three weeks or more. This can be a frustrating issue when dealing with probate yourself, however, this is somewhat alleviated when you employ a third party to act on your behalf.

When trying to grieve for a friend or family member, it can be a relief to pass over the responsibilities of dealing with the estate to The Probate Bureau. You no longer have to worry about chasing organisations for answers to your questions. The technical jargon found on probate forms, which many clients find difficult to understand are all completed by The Probate Bureau. I have personally found that clients are much happier when The Probate Bureau is dealing with an estate on their behalf, as they feel less stressed about the process and feel more confident that the administration is being handled effectively.

During my time at The Probate Bureau, it seems to me, that people feel more secure when they can talk to someone, regarding the whole administration process. Clients often seem relieved, that their administrator, who is fully trained and deals with probate on a daily basis, can deal with all their issues. Each administrator is only a phone call away and can talk to them through each stage of the probate process. Clients often comment that they know they have someone there who can help bring closure, by finalising an estate quickly and professionally.

If you would like to talk to someone about administering probate, call The Probate Bureau today on 0800 028 2837.

A common situation posed to The Probate Bureau on its free helpline is the one Lisa finds herself in:

Her father remarried and didn’t make a Will. While her father was alive he had told the family and his new wife that he wanted his estate to go to his 3 daughters. The father even left a letter expressing his wishes. Unfortunately, because Lisa’s father didn’t make a Will, the whole estate passed to his new wife. Sadly, the new wife is now telling Lisa and her sisters to ‘get lost’.

Without a valid Will, signed and witnessed, Lisa and her sisters have no grounds to pursue the matter further.

This is becoming a frequent issue and one that is likely to be more prevalent as remarriages increase. Heartache, upset and family rifts can be avoided with a legally binding Will expressing your wishes.

To find out the cost of a Will, tailored to your circumstances, contact The Probate Bureau on 0800 028 2837 or email info@probatebureau.com.

As members of the Institute of Professional Willwriters (IPW), The Probate Bureau is now able to use the recently gained Office of Fair Trading (OFT) Code Approved Logo, which we will be adding to our website and stationery in the near future.

The IPW is the only Willwriting organisation with OFT Code of Practice approval. This means members of the public can be certain that when using The Probate Bureau they are dealing with an OFT approved Willwriter.

If you would like more information on preparing your Will or any other advice, call The Probate Bureau today on 0800 028 2837.

The Law Society recommends that a Will should be reviewed at least every 4 years or so. At The Probate Bureau we find the majority of people fail to review their Will, which could potentially have a devastating effect on their family and relatives.  The purpose of a Will is to ensure what happens to your property and possessions after your death. Many people do not realise that the effects of moving house, changes in the law, birth of a child or grandchild, even a divorce in the family, can change how the Will is affected.  To find out if your current circumstances could affect your Will, call The Probate Bureau for free advise on 0800 028 2837

A recent MORI poll has indicated that on average the Independent Funeral Director gave the lowest quotation for a funeral. To find out the full facts click here.