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Frequently Asked Questions

Below you'll find the answers to our most frequently asked estate administration questions

Estate administration

The Executors or Administrators are responsible for the accurate distribution of the estate. This means that if you are named in either role, you will assume legal and financial liability for all of the work that is involved. Should any mistakes be made in the administration process, you will be personally responsible for rectifying them. If you appoint Kings Court Trust, we assume all of these liabilities on your behalf.

Probate (or confirmation in Scotland) is often required to enable a person’s estate to be distributed after their death. It is often used as a generic term to refer to the entire estate administration process. Probate is sometimes not required – for example, if all assets are held in joint names or if the estate that has been left is worth less than £5,000. However, the vast majority of estates do require Probate.

Estate administration is the process of dealing with a person’s estate after they’ve died. This normally means dealing with all of their assets (such as property and personal possessions) and liabilities (such as outstanding debts) before transferring whatever is left to the beneficiaries.

Read our guide to estate administration.



Wills

If there was no Will in place when the person died, they are said to have died ‘intestate’ and the estate will be distributed in line with the rules of intestacy. A close relative of the deceased will be able to apply for a Grant of Letters of Administration from a probate registry. They then become administrators of the estate and have the same legal responsibility as an executor for its distribution.

The Executor named in the Will will need to apply for a Grant of Probate from a probate registry. The Grant of Probate is the document that provides the legal authority that is required to deal with the estate.



Our service

Yes, you can. Estate administration is a time consuming and labour intensive process, one where 80% of clients tell us that they underestimated how much work was involved. If you are considering doing the work yourself, you should be confident that you can:
• Complete all of the legal work, tax calculations and paperwork and spare several hours a week to administer the estate from start to finish
• Contact all of the third parties involved in the administration processes
• Take on legal and financial liability for the process

We recommend that you seek professional legal advice but this doesn’t need to be from a solicitor. In fact, many solicitors only deal with a small number of estates each year and therefore don’t possess specialist knowledge of this area of the law. Kings Court Trust can offer free legal guidance with no obligation – contact us if you have any questions.

Estate administration is a long and complex legal process, so expect it to take months rather than weeks. As each estate is different, it is almost impossible to tell how long the process will take without knowing more about the specific nature of the estate. We offer one of the most efficient services available.

Kings Court Trust holds client monies in segregated and separate client accounts with strictly controlled access. In the extraordinarily unlikely event of our ceasing to trade, our regulator takes on responsibility for estate completion/client monies. Our client monies are independently audited by our auditors and our regulator on an annual basis. We have been in business 15 years and of course, have professional indemnity insurance. In fact, we don’t need to be regulated but have chosen to be so to ensure consumers get the protection of our regulator in addition to access to the Legal Services Ombudsman for any services issues, should they arise.

Our customer testimonials

"Excellent service and support during a difficult time."
"I appreciate how well Kings Court Trust has managed my father’s estate for us. The complete process has been very efficient, which has meant much less stress and worry, often associated at times of bereavement and when it comes to matters involving legal and financial matters. I have always felt confident that I've been able to follow up any concerns, worries or queries with ease. I am completely satisfied with the service we have received and I would definitely recommend Kings Court Trust to my family and friends."

Norman L, TrustPilot Review 2020

"Thank you Kings Court Trust!"
"We decided to use Kings Court Trust after approaching two high-street solicitors who were more expensive and didn't give a fixed fee, or the comprehensive service that Kings Court Trust provided. They also take on all the responsibility and liability, which gave us peace of mind. Our Personal Estate Manager has been truly amazing. There is so much to take in during such a difficult time but everything was always explained clearly and nothing was ever too much trouble. I can definitely recommend Kings Court Trust to anyone and although our estate was quite complex, they completed everything within a year!"

Customer, TrustPilot Review 2020

"Distance is no barrier."
"My thanks to the team at Kings Court Trust, you handled a delicate situation professionally and compassionately, and I appreciate your dedication to your service. Even though I was thousands of miles away, you treated me as if I was your neighbour. I would recommend the service to anybody, allow yourself the time to focus on what it is that you need to do, and allow a professional company to relieve you of a lot of stress by dealing with the family estate, you will be thankful that you did."

Richard L, TrustPilot Review 2020

How we can help

Understanding what to do when someone dies can be daunting. That's why we offer a range of services to support during the probate and estate administration process. Whether you're looking for support during the probate application phase or would prefer for a professional to take on the full process; we have the skills and expertise to help in any situation. 

 

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Need to know more?

Our dedicated team of specialists are always here to help.

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