PR Support

The basis of our estate administration charges is set out within the Full Administration Service page.

If you are acting as the personal representative of an estate then we can help you choose which parts of the estate administration process you want to deal with yourself and which parts you want our team to help with.  In this way we put you in charge of setting the budget.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of tasks common to most estates.  We hope that this will assist you in considering which tasks you want our team to help with.

Initial steps

  • Liaising with hospital and registering of the death
  • Arranging funeral
  • Preparing obituary
  • Notification of death and funeral to known persons.

Preparation of probate papers

  • Interview with you to advise on the terms of the deceased’s Will/intestacy provisions and discuss the duties of the executors.
  • Going through the assets and liabilities and writing the initial letters to banks, building societies and investment companies identified to obtain capital balance figures, including accrued interest.
  • Contact NS&I to confirm value of holdings (if any)
  • Contact pension companies investment companies and banks to obtain gross income details and tax deducted (if any) for period 5 April last to date of death
  • Contact pension companies investment companies and banks to obtain gross income details and tax deducted (if any) for year to 5 April last.
  • Contact benefit providers to enquire as to level of taxable benefit (if any) paid in period 5 April last to date of death and confirm level of arrears/overpayment
  • Contacting the utility companies and insurers to notify them of the death, inform them that we are dealing with administration.
  • Instructing agents to comply with inspection regime requirements
  • Property management related tasks repairs, tenants, etc.
  • Property title related tasks unregistered, mortgage
  • Contacting DVLA for confirmation of registered keeper
  • Property valuation – instruction of agents to provide probate valuations and or market the property
  • Chattels – arranging valuation of chattels for probate purposes
  • Contacting Will holder to obtain Will and ancillary papers
  • Instruction of genealogists to research family tree and confirm distribution entitlements under Will/intestacy.
  • Advise regarding the interpretation of problematic clauses and instruction of counsel, if applicable.
  • Liaise with accountants regarding the availability of Business Property Relief
  • Liaise with accountants and land agents regarding the availability of Agricultural Property Relief
  • Foreign property – arranging valuation and liaising with local agents
  • Foreign property – arranging reseal of grant
  • Trust – arranging valuation of the trust property and liaising with trustees / trustees’ agents

Pre-probate due diligence

  • Submit bankruptcy checks
  • Submit statutory notices if applicable
  • Undertake lost asset searches
  • Undertake Will search through Certainty
  • Notification of death and entitlement to beneficiaries of the estate.

Application for probate

  • Prepare tax papers IHT205
  • Prepare tax papers IHT216 – claim to transfer unused nil rate band allowance
  • Obtain IHT reference number for taxable estate
  • Prepare tax papers IHT400
  • Draft application for Probate or Letters of Administration and supporting affidavit(s).
  • Discuss these documents with the personal representatives and arrange for signing.
  • Submit application to the Probate Registry to obtain Grant and deal with any relevant requisitions

Income tax

  • Prepare income tax submission for income in the period 5 April last to date of death.
  • Prepare income tax submission for income in the year to 5 April last;
  • Finalise the income tax position of the deceased’s estate (post death period);
  • Preparation of R185 certificates for the relevant beneficiaries;

Post probate actions

  • Once Probate is received, liaise with all relevant organisations to register grant.
  • Request transfer / encashment of assets as appropriate
  • Attend to the settlement of liabilities from estate funds as appropriate collect in assets and settle outstanding liabilities from estate funds.
  • Submit bankruptcy checks.
  • Liaising with beneficiaries regarding payment of legacies and/or interim distributions to legatees and/or residuary beneficiaries.
  • Pay out balance to residuary beneficiaries and provide R185 forms where required.