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A Step-by-Step Guide to the Probate Process
When making sense of the Probate process, a step-by-step guide is helpful to many clients at the start of this journey.
It’s often the case you won’t have encountered it before, but it becomes essential in your current situation as you’ve been put in control of administering an estate on behalf of a loved one who has died.
The death may have been sudden and unexpected, or it could have been something more expected if a long-term illness was involved.
Regardless, people often prefer to avoid discussions of this nature and leave discussing an estate when it is absolutely necessary.
This article walks you through the stages of the process and helps you better understand what is needed and when.
Probate Process: Step-by-step
The Probate process begins with an initial first call to a legal professional if that is your chosen route, whereby they can discuss your circumstances, the nature of the estate, and the potential beneficiaries involved.
Discovering a Will
The identification of a valid Will is an important first step as that dictates a lot of what happens next.
This search can be conducted by the legal team you’ve instructed to act; its results will decide who is entitled to inherit.
The team will seek to establish who is authorised to administer the estate as an Executor or as an Administrator (where there is no valid Will).
Everything was explained clearly and very helpful advice was given at every stage. Altogether, what can be a difficult and stressful situation was made so less complicated by Rebecca’s calm and confident approach.
Maureen
Evidence gathering and form submission
Initial phases also centre on gathering information to ensure all elements are included in the estate and any outstanding debts against the estate are sourced. Once done, this can help to determine its value.
Then the drafting of relevant HMRC and HMTCS forms will take place to legally progress the process.
Paying inheritance tax and settling account
At this point, there is a need to pay any applicable and outstanding inheritance tax; a grant of representation is required. This is a document confirming who can administer the estate.
Once received, assets can be sold or closed, liabilities settled and any payments to beneficiaries made.
The experience was truly seamless from beginning to end. Initially, navigating the probate process felt overwhelming, but thanks to the invaluable assistance of Rebecca and Alex, it became remarkably straightforward.
David
How can Winns help
Although we’ve broken down how to carry out Probate, the logistics involved can be difficult to take on board, with technical language and a need for precise, accurate actions throughout making the process in its entirety much more daunting than this list might suggest.
However, the team at Winns has decades of experience in Probate, delivering compassionate customer care that is both methodical in approach and meticulous in application.
They’re ready to assist you with the Probate process, so book a call today and get the reassurance that comes with knowing experts are working on your behalf to help administer a loved one’s estate.
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Meet the Wills, Probate & Trusts Team
Rebecca Harbron Gray
Head of Wills, Probate & Trusts