Dealing with the estate of a loved one after they have passed away can be a complex and emotional process. One important step in the estate administration process can be obtaining a Grant of Letters of Administration (also known as simply Letters of Administration).

For many families, discussions about death are difficult to initiate. For those who do manage to have the conversation, it’s often an uncomfortable one to have, as it can be difficult to envisage how life will be without a loved one. Unfortunately, it's inevitable that we will all experience a loss at some point during our lifetime, and in many cases, this happens without previous discussion and little planning in place, which ultimately makes a difficult time even more challenging.

What is a Grant of Probate? “What is a Grant of Probate?” is a frequently asked question by those newly tasked with administering the estate of a loved one who has recently passed away. A Grant of Probate, commonly referred to as probate, is a legal document that is often required in England and Wales by the Executor(s) (if there is a Will) of a deceased person’s estate. In Scotland, the process is known as Confirmation. A Grant of Probate is often requested by financial institutions to access bank accounts, sell assets, and settle the debts of someone who has died. Once probate is granted, this provides the Executor with the legal authority to administer the deceased’s estate and complete the above tasks.

Estate accounts are one of the final stages in the estate administration process. These accounts are a detailed record of all the financial transactions that have occurred during the administration of an estate.

According to research from October 2021, over 10% of over 75s in the UK have not made a Will. When someone dies without leaving a Will, known as dying intestate, it hands one of their relatives a role they may not have been expecting, as an Administrator must be appointed. In this blog, we aim to clarify what an Administrator of an estate does, and we also look at the help available if you find yourself in this position.

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Probate is a legal process that may be necessary when someone dies and leaves assets behind. It involves obtaining a Grant of Probate to give the Executor the legal right to proceed with estate administration. This includes identifying and valuing the deceased’s assets, paying any debts and expenses , distributing those assets to their beneficiaries, and much more.

When writing your Will, you may include a Trust for certain portions of your estate, such as cash gifts or property. Alternatively, you may be acting as an Executor or Trustee for a Will that includes a Trust.

The Executor of an estate has the authority to sell the property of the deceased, as long as it is specified in the Will or authorised by the court. However, the Executor needs to be sure there are no surviving joint owners or clauses in the Will that prevent selling the property.