My old mum died a few weeks ago. I am an executor.
I don't believe we have IHT to pay, and nor do the accountants we asked for advice a few months ago.
She just had cash in the bank, no property to sell, and shares in a couple of normal UK companies.
The solicitors want £2500 just to get the grant of probate (more if we want them to actually do anything further).
I'm thinking it's just fill in an HMRC form to state no IHT, along with one for the shares and another for the bank accounts, or is it actually big and scary and we should pay the solicitors?
I've done all the other bits you do of course, so accounts frozen, death certificates in hand etc.
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Go to Citizens Advice Centre. They should help.
Hold on! Didn't RP do this sort of thing?
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You need a book. Remember those?
I think I had one called "What to do when someone dies". Presumably it hasn't gone out of fashion and has perhaps been updated.
I can't remember what my brother and I did to get probate, but it wasn't difficult.
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Missed edit as I always do.
E.g.
smile.amazon.co.uk/Probate-straightforward-obtaining-probate-administering/dp/0995759006
(most on Amazon seem to be US related).
Last edited by: Manatee on Mon 31 Jan 22 at 09:10
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I did it when my wife died, fairly straightforward to do it yourself .
My wife did it when her father died.
Give it a go and see how you get on.
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Thanks for the encouraging words/links, guys - I think I'll give it a go then. I can always bail and buy someone's help if I need to I guess.
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If you go online to the Gov uk site Grant of Probate ,you can get the form and a guide to filling it in and submit online.
It is basically a listing of assets and liabilities and some addition or subtraction.
It certainly is not difficult for anyone reasonably numerate.
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Mrs B was the executor for her Mother. House had been sold long before she died and last years were in a care home. Only assets were cash at the bank and a few shares form building society demutualisations etc. Estate split equally between Mrs B and her surviving sibling.
I did most of the leg work including taking the papers to the Probate Office which at the time was over the road from my London office. She swore the executor's oath at a local solicitor and grant duly issued.
Other than the minor advantage of speaking legalese and having been involved professionally in winding up estates I'd not advantage over the man on the street.
There's a guide here:
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/death-and-wills/
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Two and a half grand? No wonder lawyers are rich. You don't need to be very intelligent to do it yourself. It's all online: www.gov.uk/applying-for-probate
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I did it all my self. Even had a day out at Winchester to go to the probate office* to get it sealed and granted. - took 30 minutes.
The guidance doc issued by HM gov is very clear and straightforward, the forms are logical and step nicely from one to the other.
Your 2500 quid covers 25 quid paid to the office junior,
*I'd been told about the various wills they have on the wall of the waiting room. Churchill, is one, but Paula Yates will was a document of vindictive vile and spite.
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 31 Jan 22 at 09:45
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Condolences on the loss of your Mother Crankcase; IME probate isn’t that complicated, and it sounds as if your mums affairs are pretty straightforward. So I would not spend £2,500 (and indeed didn’t when Andrew died) and would work though it yourself following the link in Bromp’s post.
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Thank you, Peter. Looks like everyone so far agrees it's worth trying to have a go. I think I only have HMRC left to deal with anyway now, so I'll read the forms thoroughly to make sure I understand them.
I spoke to HMRC last week (first time in my life) and they answered the probate line in ONE ring, which was impressive. A very pleasant person told me which forms to download, so here's hoping.
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Probate should be easy, if everything material is easily valued.
Might still be worth finding a general guide that covers other things you might overlook. You'll probably need to do a tax return for example.
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Grant of probate - Duncan
