Help Contesting a Will ?

If you have been left out of a will or cut out of a will, what do you do and who can provide you with help ? The short answer is that you immediately need to seek expert legal advice from a lawyer experienced in contesting wills. Knowing where to start is often difficult however…

Probate Deadlines

A frequently asked question is whether there is a deadline for applying for probate ? In summary the answer very much depends upon the value of the estate. If inheritance tax is payable by the estate, then the rules provide that a full inheritance tax return ( an IHT form 400 ) must be filed…

Missing beneficiaries what can executors do ?

The Executors legal duty is to distribute the estate according to the terms of the will. This sounds straightforward, but what happens if one of the beneficiaries is missing ? An executor must ensure that he or she undertakes all reasonable steps to finding a missing beneficiary, given this what are options ? Instruct a…

Defending A Will

If you are an Executor and are faced with an unhappy family member who has been cut out of a will what do you do ? The will and disclosing a copy The starting point in all cases is of course the will. In our experience a lot of animosity is caused by relatives refusing…

How soon do i have to apply for probate ?

Sometimes after someone has died knowing what to do can be confusing, with a lot of the terminology often quite confusing. As a result of this, we are frequently asked about time limits and how quickly probate has to be applied for. Do I need Probate ? It is important to appreciate that not every…

Probate Costs Calculator

Whilst there are are lots of questions commonly asked about probate, the most common is arguably How Much does it cost ? Assessing the costs of probate is never easy as no one case is the same. There are a number of important factors when determining costs and hopefully this article will help clarify some…