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.

Arguments and disputes can be traumatic enough at the best of times. Coming after the death of a loved one they can be soul destroying. Yet sadly too often just when people need the support and comfort of their nearest and dearest, the death of a loved one divides rather than unites.

Often these sad disputes could have been avoided altogether with a little foresight from the deceased and particularly ensuring the drawing up of a properly drafted Will. This is however of little or no consolation to the grieving relative faced with sorting out the mess that has been left behind.

In some instances, no matter what happens a dispute develops between families that usually requires professional mediation if the arguments are to be resolved.

Professional mediation needs a professional team of people to advise and guide families during a dispute. In such situations The Probate Bureau remains totally impartial and uses independent partners to conduct mediation.  If you find yourself in a situation where you cannot resolve a family argument give The Probate Bureau a call.

A scam circulating the UK funeral industry has been reported to Leicestershire Police Constabulary that involves thousand of pounds being scammed by crooks based abroad.  The scam relates to a bogus web site that uses the name Motorcycles Funeral Limited (MFL) and address details. MFL are in fact a genuine company providing a great service to the funeral industry and is not in any way associated with the scam.  It appears the crooks are using the company’s identity, but using a different telephone and fax number. The email address is also bogus, even though they use MFL company name.

Beware of making any payment online without contacting MFL first and confirm the people you are talking to are genuine.

The Probate Bureau are witnesses to many scenarios in dealing with probate administration. Here are a few examples of what can happen if you do not write a Will:

To my family:

I hereby leave you all several months, possibly years, of financial hardship and expense whilst you go to unnecessary efforts to sort out my affairs.

To my spouse:

I hereby leave you some (but probably not all) of everything that I own.

To my children:

I hereby leave you the remainder of my estate and give you the authority to enforce the sale of any part of it (including the family home) to release your inheritance.

To social services:

If my children are orphaned I give you authority of guardianship and the power to choose who shall look after them, including allocating them foster-parents.

To the tax man:

I hereby leave you all the tax that I could have avoided and given to my children.

To my bank and/or solicitor:

I hereby authorise you to charge whatever you feel necessary to sort out the mess that I have left behind. I realise that this could make you one of the major beneficiaries of my estate.

To everyone else:

I leave you nothing!

The harsh reality is that over 65% of the UK population do not have a Will. At The Probate Bureau 50% of the estates we administer come to us without a Will.  Even those Wills that do arrive at The Probate Bureau are usually out of date or totally inadequate. By calling The Probate Bureau on 0800 028 2837, we can advise you on the best way to ensure your Will provides and protects your family.

By law you must be 18 to have a Will written. At 18 the likelihood of owning your own property and collecting a wealth of possessions is remote. Should you die around this age your parents will become our Next of Kin and would automatically (under the rules of intestacy) receive any of your assets. There is no ideal time to have a Will written much before your early 20s, but you should consider having a Will written when events in your life change. For example:

• Moving in to your first property
• Soon after getting married
• When a child is born
• If in a long term relationship and own your own property
• After receiving inheritance or substantial financial windfall

The Probate Bureau blog is full of great articles that explain why you need a Will no matter what your age. The Probate Bureau in certain instances can save your estate thousands of pounds by providing the correct information on how you should prepare a Will. Why not give us a call today on 0800 028 2837.