Blobster

Could anyone provide advice with the above.
My grandmother passed away at the weekend and I am appointed as the executor of her will.
As I've never done this before I would appreciate a walk through of what I am supposed to do.

Blobster

David Lock

Sorry to hear news. There is a booklet which explains all. Something like "What to do after a death" or something cheerful like that. Your Doctor may have one otherwise try Registery Office or look up Probate office and phone and they will post you one. There are Probate Offices that cover a region e.g. in Brighton in my area. In fact phone Probate Office anyway and ask for necessary forms. Are you sole executor or joint - this makes a slight difference? Forms are relatively straightforward but you will need to get bank statements etc and to do this you will need various documents which are all explained. On Probate form you will have a choice of which court office to attend which should be fairly local to you so that you can obtain Certificate of Probate. Only when this is done can the Will be dealt with. Note if there are funds in a bank account these can usually be utilised for funeral cost before Probate is granted. If there is a modect financial amount then it should all take around 6 - 8 weeks. It is more complicated if there is property involved or substantial savings - I have forgotten what the threshold is. A lawyer may be neeeded if there are complications. DL

Edited to add that when the death is Registered (requiring Death Certificate from Doctor) then you can ask then at The Registery Office for advice and booklet. They can also give you Probate Office telephone number.

Blobster

Thanks for quick response.

Have had a telephone merry-go-round this morning. The registrar's office would only tell me to phone the Probate office, for which they couldn't give me a number. A search in Yellow pages would only give me the inland revenue number who simliarly couldn't help. The funeral director could only give me the registrars number. Oh, and now the coroner has decided an inquest is necessary so we won't get a death certificate for at least 6 months.

The estate is quite complicated with property, shares, bonds, etc. So, I'm reading up on inheritance tax and capital gains tax etc.

Blobster

David Lock

Life is never simple! Phone up a local court as they should know the Probate office number.

ChrisB

Anything helpful here :

http://www.courtservice.gov.uk/cms/2971.htm

Chris.

Pete The Biker

If it's a complicated estate you may be better of employing a solicitor to do the form-filling for you, while you do the leg-work........ Costs more this way, but depends whether you need the hassle........

Pete The Biker

JFB

You might consider hiring a solicitor if it's that complicated as you will require probate valuations of the bonds, shares and property as at the date of death. The threshold is some £270,000 approx from memory before Inheritence tax @ 40% is payable. This is a complicated exercise but if you like form filling etc, I'm sure you can do it yourself.

David Lock

And with property involved there may be retrospective ways of reducing inheritance tax so do seek professional advice if this is the case. DL

Tiggs

if the estate is well over 300k do not bother to do it yourself unless you work at burgerking at value your time accordingly.

a decent solicitor/and/or adviser that knows what they are doing will do it quicker and better than you and sort the IHT issues if any arise.

no doubt ppl will pop up saying "i did aunty violets and it was easy...." but its like anything done by another human.........read up long enough and you could do your own minor operations..still best not to!

Tiggs

Estate Planning/IHT consultant

MattW

I employed a solicitor to do my late father's estate. from memory it cost me £150 per hour and 1.5% of the estate.

A letter was charged at 6 minutes, a phone call charged at the duration.

Believe me, it was WELL worth it.

Blobster

I'm going to give it a go myself.

Let the form filling begin.

Tiggs

ill have a chesseburger please

good luck!

Diesel

The solicitor took a percentage of the estate value in addition to his fee Matt? Is that usual??? Very quids in I'd say!

David Lock

Yeah - I thought that was a bit saucy..... 'spect his Porsche needed servicing.

PIXIEDUST

My dad died suddenly 3 months ago and because he was still working there was a large in service lump sum pay out,even though my mother is still alive every thing had to go to probate.I TRYED TO SORT OUT ALL THE PROBATE FORMS BUT IT WAS REALLY DISTRESSING WANTED TO KNOW HOW MUCH WAS IN HIS WALLET WHEN HE DIED ,WENT TO A SOLICITOR IN THE END WAS A LITTLE EXPENSIVE AS NOT THAT MUCH WORK INVOLVED BUT YOU HAVE TO PAY THE PROBATE OFFICE ANY WAY ,SO SWINGS AND ROUNDER-BOUTS.