When a loved one passes away, there are many tasks that must be completed before their estate can be distributed to the beneficiaries. One of those tasks may be applying for probate; probate is not always needed, but if it’s required, it can be a confusing process that involves a lot of time and effort. This blog aims to simplify probate and explain what it is, when it’s required, and the application process.

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.

A beneficiary is an individual or organisation who has been named in a Will as receiving a benefit or gift from someone who has passed away. When a person takes the time to create a Will, their goal is to ensure that their loved ones are taken care of after they are gone and that they inherit any assets or items the deceased intended them to own. But what happens if a beneficiary named in a Will cannot be located and is deemed as missing? It's a complication that many people experience when trying to administer the estate of a loved one, and one that can greatly impact, and draw out a process that is already complex enough, causing additional stress. If you have been named as an Executor to a Will, the responsibility to search for missing beneficiaries ultimately falls to you. Therefore, if you do not take reasonable steps to search for a missing beneficiary, you could be personally liable to pay that beneficiary's share if they do come forward at a later date. We'll explore how and why heirs go missing, what happens if a beneficiary cannot be found, what happens if a beneficiary dies, how best to search for these individuals, and how missing beneficiaries can be avoided altogether.

The United Kingdom went into national mourning last week as the news broke that His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, sadly passed away on Friday at the age of 99. He was the longest-serving royal consort in British history, having been married to Her Majesty The Queen for more than seven decades. The question that is now starting to surface within the industry is “what will happen to Prince Philip’s multimillion pound estate?”.

After a near six decades in the spotlight, Aretha Franklin has died at the age of 76, reportedly without leaving a Will. The Queen of Soul passed away at her home in Detroit on Thursday the 16th of August, after an on-going battle with pancreatic cancer.

It seems that nowadays we can’t turn on the TV without coming across a programme about antiques, often featuring a treasured item that has been passed down through generations. The expert’s valuation may be minimal, but usually the current owner professes a great attachment to the item as being an important link to a departed relative. So whether or not our personal chattels have major monetary value, it can be important to use our Will to pass them on appropriately – but what is the best way to do it?

As part of its service, Kings Court Trust provides a safe, dry and secure Will storage facility. Testators have a lot invested in their will – not just the costs of having it professionally written, but also the effects it will have when the need for probate arises. From a prudent risk management perspective, testators should consider the wisdom of simply keeping such an important document with their papers at home where the Will could, conceivably, become lost or be destroyed inadvertently or even on purpose. Fires and floods do happen and risk of loss is increased at stressful times as when moving house.

According to a recent HSBC survey ‘The Age of Inheritance’, the average legacy received today is £46,000, although half of all people who inherit actually receive under £10,000.

Although it can be risky, administering an estate is usually relatively straightforward to the experienced practitioner. Occasionally, though, some elements of a particular estate will test the mettle of the best. Nicholas Beetham looks at a recent “perfect storm” estate which, although demanding, presented no more than a welcome challenge to Kings Court, who administered it smoothly and without fuss.