Probate

Probate is a process where you ‘prove’ someone's Will to show that it was definitely the last Will and all inheritance tax has been paid or no tax is due to be paid.

To apply for probate is a paper exercise - you never actually have to go to a court or stand in front of a judge.

Book an appointment at your home with Diane today.

The sealed court order or 'Grant of Probate' usually comes within 8 to 16 weeks of application.

This document sets out that the court is satisfied that the person has died and you are the proper legal person to deal with their assets and affairs.

This document can then be used to close bank accounts, sell a property etc. 

Sometimes you don't need to actually go through the formal court process of obtaining probate.

If the person who died had small amounts in the bank then the bank will pay out based on what is known as a small estate indemnity- each bank has its own limit but it's usually somewhere between £5000 and £15,000.

Also if everything the person had was in joint names it's often just a case of having their name removed. 

Finally whether you needed the court order or not you must distribute the money/property in accordance with the persons will or (if they didn't have one) according to the rules of intestacy. This is known as the ‘administration’ of the estate.

You might have heard the nightmare stories of years and years of delay and legal redtape.

Don't worry that only happens in very extreme circumstances usually where there is a family fallout, millions of pounds at stake and lots of complicated assets.

A straightforward scenario, involving a sale of a property and a couple of bank accounts, would take around 6 to 9 months.

Call Diane on Leeds (0113) 2525597 for expert kind & caring advice and a thorough personal service at a pace to suit.

Well it really does depend, as every situation is different.

The best way to know for sure is to sit down with Diane for half an hour to identify what needs doing. We can then work out a strategy of who is doing what and how much help you need.

Diane will then provide you with a bespoke estimate, based on your individual circumstances, so you know what to expect.