Probate Solicitors

Coping with grief and loss can be emotionally overwhelming, and having the added pressure of being named as executor in the Will can make the process even more difficult to cope with.

We can help by administrating Probate for you quickly and efficiently so you can focus on spending time with your family and coming to terms with your loss at a time when it matters the most.

What is Probate?

Probate is the legal process carried out on a person’s estate when they die. When making a Will, an executor of the Will is named. This can be a solicitor, a family member or anyone who can carry out the legal process necessary to complete Probate.

As executor of a Will, you are legally responsible for ensuring that all stages of Probate are completed correctly. You will need to apply for a grant of representation as executor, and then you will be given access to all financial records and accounts of the person who has died.

You must recover any money owed to the estate and pay any outstanding debts. In addition, you will have to value the estate to calculate if there is any inheritance tax payable, and if so, this will need to be settled before you can start dividing the estate. The executor is held legally responsible for the administration of the Will and could be held accountable if a mistake is made. So, as you can see, it’s a somewhat complicated process.

What if there is no Will?

Probate still needs to take place even if there is no Will; however, the process is different. A member of the family will need to apply for a grant of representation, and the laws of intestacy (when you die without a Will) decide who inherits what from the estate, with very strict criteria for who can and can’t inherit.

How can you help me?

We understand it can be difficult to think about completing Probate whilst you are grieving. As Probate specialists, we can help to administer the Will correctly and efficiently, giving you complete peace of mind.

Although anyone can apply for a Grant of Probate, administering the estate is a complex process and can be testing. Depending on the size of the deceased’s estate, there can be numerous bank and savings accounts, shares and bonds, property and possessions to close and administer according to the Will. The executor is held legally responsible for administering all these correctly and ensuring everyone gets what they are entitled to. If there is no Will, following the laws of intestacy (when a person dies without a Will) can be even more complicated.

That’s why many people appoint a solicitor to act on their behalf. Using a Probate specialist will relieve the pressure of making a mistake for which you could be held seriously accountable at an already difficult time. We specialise in Probate services and will make sure that your loved one’s Will is administered correctly and efficiently. We promise friendly and straightforward service, and we won’t use over-complicated legal jargon whilst retaining our professionalism and expertise in the area of Probate.

You can be certain that the estate is in the most qualified hands.

Contact us today

If you like to discuss getting help with Probate, then please call us on 0191 567 7244 and we’ll be happy to help you. A consultation is always completely free and there’s no obligation to use any of our services – just honest advice. We’ll even be able to give you a transparent fixed-fee quote about our costs.

If you would rather contact us online, you could email us on info@cooklaw.co.uk or complete our free online enquiry form and we will be in touch with you shortly.