This is the second and final part of our ‘understanding probate and estate administration’ blog series. If you missed part one, you can read it here.

Kings Court Trust has administered close to 10,000 estates and distributed over £2 billion in inheritance. It’s a considerable amount, but there’s a family – your clients – behind every single estate. As we explain below, we work closely with our business partners to help their client's families, which in turn, helps them maintain and grow their business.

This is the first part of our ‘understanding probate and estate administration’ series. If you are looking for the second blog, you can read it here.

According to a YouGov survey, 96% of people who prepare their own Will say they do not need external advice, with 21% stating that fears over the cost of professional advice prompted them to do it themselves.

Earlier this year the Scottish Parliament passed the final stage of the Succession (Scotland) Act 2016. The Act means that any ex-spouse or civil partner will no longer be able to inherit under a Will following a divorce or dissolution, unless the Will makes specific provision for them.

Recent data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by Today’s Wills and Probate has shown the number of lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) granted annually has tripled between 2010 and 2015.

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) proposal will result in a sharp rise in probate fees and potentially significant cash flow problems for bereaved families, reports The Telegraph.

Three animal welfare charities have mounted an appeal to challenge a judge’s decision which allowed a woman’s estranged daughter to overturn her Will.

Government proposals unveiled this week could result in a hundredfold increase in probate fees for some families, reports The Financial Times. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has published its plans to reduce the £1.1bn annual cost of running the court system by introducing a revised probate fees structure in England and Wales.