Probate

At Bowcock & Pursaill, our team of Wills and Probate Solicitors have been supporting families to make the necessary arrangements to protect their estate for over nine decades.       

The need for Probate arises upon the death of a person and expert advice and guidance is required through the process.

It is the process of administering a deceased person’s estate including organising their money, assets and possessions. Wills and Probate go hand in hand as often if the deceased person left a Will, it would name someone to administer their estate – the executor of the Will.

The executor must apply for a Grant of Probate which gives them the authority to execute the Will.

Our experienced probate solicitors offer practical advice to clients who need assistance with obtaining a Grant of Probate if there is a Will, or with applying for letters of administration if a Will has not been made.

We handle these cases with sensitivity and understanding and assist clients throughout the administration of the deceased’s estate to achieve an acceptable conclusion.

Sometimes it may take longer to wind up an estate due to protracted negotiations with HMRC on the availability of agricultural property relief or business property relief. We pursue these negotiations in a robust manner to obtain the best possible result.

It is possible to change the provisions of a Will following a death with the agreement of those beneficiaries who would be affected. This is a measure which can:

• Save inheritance tax
• Enable the last wishes of the deceased to be carried out if the Will did not reflect the final wishes of the deceased
• Put in place tax saving measures for current and future generations
• Preserve assets from being used to pay nursing home fees

An important phase in Probate includes paying inheritance tax to HM Revenue and Customs. Once all bills are paid, Probate can continue, and the remaining balance can be distributed to all named beneficiaries.