Legal steps following the death of a loved one

We know how difficult it can be to deal with the loss of a loved one.

At Nowell Meller we are passionate about supporting family and friends to help take some stress away during a very difficult time.

To help, we want to share some information about the practical steps you need to take to deal with the estate of your loved one. This includes dealing with things such as utility bills, property, bank accounts, investments, debts and so on.

Initial Steps

You first need to establish whether there is a Will in existence. If you are unsure, don’t worry, you can complete a Will Search.
If there is no Will, the deceased died intestate. A Grant of Representation may be required. If there is a Will, the named Executor may need to apply for a Grant of Probate.
To avoid personal liability, executor/administrators must ensure proper estate administration & debt settlement. Do not start to “meddle” unless you are certain you know what to do and can see the whole process through. Otherwise, take some legal advice first.
To determine Inheritance Tax liability, you must assess the assets and liabilities. Based on estate value and asset types, you can then decide if a Grant of probate or representation is needed or not. If you are unsure, a solicitor can help you decide this.

What is A Grant of Probate/Representation

These are legal documents issued by the Probate Court that will give the executors or administrators the legal authority to deal with the estate.

Administration

You then need to:

Make sure any cars and properties are still covered by insurance.
Notify relevant financial institutions of the death and whether you will be obtaining a Grant.
Apply for the grant of probate/representation if required.
Realise all of the assets of the estate.
Settle any debts.
Deal with any legacy payments, personal beneficiaries or charitable legacies.
Prepare estate accounts and keep a record in the event these are called upon in the future by the Probate Registry/HMRC or potential missed beneficiaries.
Deal with any complexities such as inheritance tax, reporting of income tax to HMRC, missing beneficiaries, or anything else which may arise.

We understand that this can feel like an overwhelming task. We are here to support you.

Our team can help to deal with the administration of the estate on your behalf and the costs can even be met from the estate.

We are able to advise and support you through each step of the process to ensure the estate is dealt with in the correct way, giving you peace of mind and helping to take some of the stress away.

We offer fixed fees to obtain a Grant of Probate through to full administration including collecting all the data, dealing with tax issues and realising the assets. We can then distribute it to the beneficiaries for you.

It is important that you do not start to deal with matters unless you are completely committed to it, as this is known as meddling and will create issues for the estate.

If you would like support, please contact our team and we will be happy to help you through the process.

Newcastle 01782 987551

Stafford 01785 252377

Alsager 01270 446260