Probate
We speak to many people who are very confused about probate. Dealing with legal and financial paperwork at such an emotional time can be daunting. Even in the simplest estates there is a surprisingly large amount of correspondence with various institutions such as the Inland Revenue, the Department for Work and Pensions and The Principal Probate Registry Office to name just a few.
Our aim in the next few paragraphs is to explain in plain English what probate is and whether it is actually required in your situation:
What is Probate?
If there is a Will
It is necessary to obtain a legal document (called a Grant of Probate) that allows an executor to distribute assets as detailed in a person's Will.
It is necessary to obtain a legal document (called a Grant of Letters of Administration) that allows the next of kin to distribute assets inaccordance with the Rules of Intestacy.
In simple terminology, "probate" is a legal way of distributing a person's assets on death
There are specific situations that dictate whether an executor needs to obtain probate. Generally probate is not required for estates where assets in the sole name of the Deceased are under £5000. However some institutions may insist on a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration to release any asset.
Do I need Probate?
In order to quickly establish whether probate is required in your situation you can call our Freephone number 0800 028 2837 and talk directly to one of our advisors who can guide you, without charge, on how to proceed. We are also able to arrange a free appointment at your home in order to assess your own particular situation. During this visit you will be advised how to proceed on your own, should you feel able to, or we can give you an all inclusive price for The Probate Bureau Ltd to administer the estate on your behalf.
Fees are not charged on an hourly basis; we find people prefer a set fee quotation to cover most, if not all, aspects of the administration of an estate. There are no deposits and our fee is usually payable from the estate at the end of administration. This ensures that we will not delay the administration. We will then take away all relevant documents and begin correspondence, providing you with regular updates until we have finalised the administration of the estate.
