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2. Arrange the funeral. The
cost will usually be the first expense paid for from the deceased's
estate. Make enquiries about the existence of a prepaid funeral plan -
these are becoming increasingly popular amongst retired people wishing
to guard against the effects of inflation. If a Testator does decide to
purchase a funeral plan Executors should be informed immediately and
given the location of the relevant documents.
3. Apply for a Grant of Probate via
the nearest Probate Registry.
4. Arrange to open a Personal
Representative's bank account. This will be used for the receipt of
money due to the Estate and any loan arranged to pay an Inheritance Tax
bill and/or probate fees.
5. Inform all relevant persons
and organisations - banks, building societies, life assurance companies,
employers, local authorities, Inland Revenue, benefit agencies etc.
6. Arrange for a valuation of
the Estate. This will include the house and its contents, other personal
effects, investments in savings plans, equities, life policies, building
societies etc. Draw up a detailed schedule of all the Testator's assets.
7. Draw up a full schedule of
debts that must be paid from the proceeds of the Estate. These will
include mortgages, income and capital gains taxes, bills, credit cards,
loans and overdrafts.
8. Complete the forms required
by the Inland Revenue Capital Taxes Office so that it can be established
whether any Inheritance Tax is due.
9. Complete the probate forms
and send or take them to the Probate Office along with the original
Will, the death certificate and the Inland Revenue account.
Subsequent Duties
1. Provided that the case is fairly
straightforward, an appointment will be made for the personal
representative to 'swear the papers' within about 5 - 6 weeks of receipt
at the Probate Office
2. When Inheritance Tax is due the
Executor's account of the Estate is passed to the Inland Revenue and the
Grant of Probate cannot be issued until the tax is paid. There will be
circumstances where part of the Estate has to be sold to pay Inheritance
Tax and if this is the case banks can arrange loan facilities to pay the
tax straight away.
3. Copies of the Grant of Probate
should be sent to everyone who owes money to the Estate. The Executors
now have a legal authority to pursue any debts owing to the Estate.
4. When the Grant of Probate is
received, the Estate can be divided according to the terms of the Will.
The Executor must prepare and sign accounts showing who has received
what from the distribution. They must be able to show that they acted in
accordance with the terms of the Will in case there is any dissent from
the family of the deceased.
5 . All papers, including the Grant
of Probate and the accounts must be stored safely for a period of 12
years.
Probate Registries
Telephone numbers for
District Probate Registries in England & Wales
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Bangor; 01248 362 410
Birmingham; 0121 681
3400
Bodmin; 01208 72279
Brighton; 01273 684 071
Bristol; 0117 927 3915
Cardiff; 01222 376 479
Carlisle; 01228 21751
Carmarthen; 01267 236
238
Chester; 01244 345 082
Exeter; 01392 74515
Gloucester; 01452 522
585
Ipswich; 01473 253 724
Lancaster; 01524 36625
Leeds; 0113 243 1505
Leicester; 0116 253 8558
Lincoln; 01522 523 648
Liverpool; 0151 236 8264
London; 0171 936 6983
Maidstone; 01622 754 966
Manchester; 0161 834
4319
Middlesborough; 01642 340 001
Newcastle-upon-Tyne;
0191 261 8383
Norwich; 01603 761 776
Nottingham; 0115 941
4288
Oxford; 01865 241 163
Peterborough; 01733
62802
Sheffield; 0114 272 9920
Stoke-on-Trent; 01782
213 736
Winchester; 01962 863
771
York; 01904 624 210
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