Nigel Merchant, Regional Probate Consultant here at Kings Court Trust, is frequently asked about Inheritance Tax. Here’s what he has to say:

Although we are free to make a will so that, when we die, we can leave our assets to whoever we like, we are also free to die without having made a will – or intestate – so that the state decides how our estate will be divided up. Either way, if we leave behind people who need and could reasonably expect financial help from our estate, the law can step in to make sure they get it under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. The intestacy rules in England and Wales are set out in the Administration of Estates Act 1925 and have not materially changed since their creation. Nick Beetham looks at amendments proposed by The Law Commission after exhaustive research and consultation.

Dealing with an estate when someone has died is a puzzle for most of us. We are faced with this task so infrequently that it is not one that is routinely learned through life experience and added to this is the fact that probate and inheritance law change from time to time; what was relevant seven years ago might not be appropriate today. In Part One of this two-part article, we looked at the early activities that take place including the considerations a family normally takes into account before appointing professional help and then after the appointment, the steps and information needed to apply for a Grant of Probate.

As part of its service, Kings Court Trust provides a safe, dry and secure Will storage facility. Testators have a lot invested in their will – not just the costs of having it professionally written, but also the effects it will have when the need for probate arises. From a prudent risk management perspective, testators should consider the wisdom of simply keeping such an important document with their papers at home where the Will could, conceivably, become lost or be destroyed inadvertently or even on purpose. Fires and floods do happen and risk of loss is increased at stressful times as when moving house.

From November 2011 Kings Court Trust Corporation will be known more simply as Kings Court Trust. Along with this change, we have a new brand, logo and website and so do take a look at www.kctrust.co.uk and let us know what you think.

According to a recent HSBC survey ‘The Age of Inheritance’, the average legacy received today is £46,000, although half of all people who inherit actually receive under £10,000.

When somebody we love dies, it can knock even the most emotionally sturdy of us completely sideways. The strength of our reaction will depend not only on how the person died, but also on our relationship with them. Cynthia Spillman shares her experience of bereavement and offers advice to the newly bereaved and those supporting them and tries to answer the question 'what to do when someone dies?'

As consumers, we are forever looking for a bargain – perhaps especially these days - and the world of estate administration is no exception. Some people are capable of administering a deceased parent’s, or spouse's, estate without professional assistance – although anyone contemplating this should be alive to the pitfalls that await the unwary - the cost of probate provided by a professional is often small in relation to the stress created, and time needed, in even a simple case. In this article I will show, based on my experience, some of the things you will need to be aware of, should you decide to administer an estate yourself.

Although it can be risky, administering an estate is usually relatively straightforward to the experienced practitioner. Occasionally, though, some elements of a particular estate will test the mettle of the best. Nicholas Beetham looks at a recent “perfect storm” estate which, although demanding, presented no more than a welcome challenge to Kings Court, who administered it smoothly and without fuss.