Probate is the process of proving who is legally entitled to deal with the
estate of someone who’s died. Commonly, it also describes the process of dealing
with a deceased assets and affairs.
Probate and Administration
Technically probate only covers the situation where the deceased has a will
which appoints executors. Where there is no will, or where there is a will but
no effective appointment of executors, the process is called administration.
Administrators are appointed by the court. Exec
A trustee is a person who has legal responsibility for assets on behalf of
somebody else, called the beneficiary.
Trusts have all sorts of uses. They can be complicated they don’t have to be. In
fact even the most simple of wills might require someone to take legal
responsibility for assets on behalf of someone else. A good example of this is
where a will leaves something to a child under 18 In that case a trust is needed
to hold the assets for them until they reach 18 (or older if that’s what
One of the most important tasks involved in writing your will is to appoint
executors. These are the people who will manage and distribute your estate after
you’ve died, using the instructions you make in your will.What does an executor
do?
Typical responsibilities can include:
* Collecting and listing all of the assets in the estate – bank accounts,
property, possessions etc.
* Valuing the estate.
* Applying for a grant of probate.
* Making sure all debts, bills, taxes (including inheri
If you have children under the age of 18 you will probably want to nominate a
guardian for them in case you and the child’s other parent were to die.
You can only appoint a guardian for your children if you have parental
responsibility for them.
You can read more about who has parental responsibility and what will happen if
there is no will in our ‘What happens to your children if you die without a
will’ article.
A guardian’s role and responsibilities
The role of a guardian is essentially mu
In basic terms your estate is everything you own, less anything you owe. So
that’s your property, money, investments, vehicles and possessions, less your
debts for example: money owed on loans, mortgages or to the tax man.
Most of the things you own can be dealt with in your will, the main exceptions
are:
* Money held in joint accounts – which will automatically go to the other
account holder.
* Property which is owned on a joint tenant basis – where your share of the
property will go
Free wills month is upon us and if you happen to be 55 or over this provides you
with the chance to create your will completely free of charge. If you have ever
considered making a will and have been baffled by the terminology this guide
will provide a fast reference for common rules and terminology in plain English.
1.What Makes A Will Valid?
It must be made by a person who is of sound mind who is over 18, voluntarily and
without pressure. It must be signed by 2 witnesses that are not benefic Read More »
You may have seen notices or advertisements promoting Free Wills Month. If you
are not sure what it is all about then this article will help you to understand
what the Free Wills Month program is all about and learn about its benefits.
Free Wills Month takes place in March and October each year and offers you the
chance to prepare your will free of charge. The offer applies to those 55 years
of age and older and may be used to create your first will or to create a whole
new will even if you ha Read More »
You may already know that the month of October is Free Will Writing Month. This
is a great opportunity for those that haven't already prepared this vital
document to do so without charge.
For the entire month of October those aged 55 and over can write a will and
leave their estate, assets, and valuables to their loved ones. Appoint an
executor, name beneficiaries and make sure your legacy goes to the right people.
There are several places where you can write your will for free during the mont Read More »
When creating a will to document the division of an estate or assets, the
tendency can be to look for a will writing service that is located close by.
Historically the large majority of people have visited their town center or
high street and prepared their will with a local solicitor.
In fact, the term ‘will writing services near me’ scores very high for the
number of searches in Google’s engine.
This demonstrates that for those looking to write their will there is a common
thread of seekin Read More »
You have until June 4th to write your Will
[https://www.affio.co.uk/why-should-i-use-an-online-will-writing-service] and
register it for free with The National Will Register
[https://www.nationalwillregister.co.uk/aboutwillregistration.aspx] using code
FreeWillReg2021.
The National Will Register is a trusted partner of the Law Society of England
and Wales. The register is used by individuals, families, organizations,
government agencies and law firms to register their will. There are over 8
mi Read More »
