Estates

What requires to be done when someone dies?

The death must be registered at the local Registrar's Office. The GP or Hospital who attended the deceased will issue a Medical Certificate of Death which will be required by the Registrar, together with personal details of the deceased. This allows the Registrar to issue an Extract Registered Death Certificate for use by the Funeral Director and Solicitor.

Once the funeral has taken place, collect all paperwork relating to the affairs of the deceased and make arrangements to meet with the Solicitor who will attend to the administration involved in the winding-up of the Estate.

What happens if there is a Will (Testate Estate)?

The Will may contain funeral instructions and it is therefore important to consult the deceased's Solicitor regarding the Will as soon as possible after the death. The Will will specify the appointed Executors whose duty it is to carry out the instructions contained in the Will under the guidance of the professional services of the Solicitor handling the Executry Estate. It is therefore advisable that the Executors instruct a Solicitor to act in the winding-up of the Estate as quickly as possible after the death. The Solicitor will deal with the in-gathering of the Estate funds, determine Estate liabilities and inform the beneficiaries of their entitlement in terms of the Will.

What happens if there is no Will (Intestate Estate)?

The Estate is then referred to as "intestate" and is governed by the Law of Intestate Succession. Certain categories within the family, that is surviving spouse, children and more distant relatives may have rights to which they are entitled to claim in the Estate of the intestate party. A Solicitor will be able to give advice regarding the procedures involved, including the appointment of an Executor who would normally be the closest relative having an interest in the Estate. The Solicitor would prepare and lodge a Petition with the local Sheriff Court and have that party appointed Executor. Given the additional administrative work and the extra time involved in such a procedure, it is certainly advisable that clients do, in fact, make out their Wills and avoid their Estate falling into the category of intestacy.

What is the role of the Executor?

The Executor is an administrator who assists the Solicitor in the compiling of information for the Estate Inventory, i.e., listing of assets and liabilities as at the date of death. The completed Estate Inventory is signed by the Executor in the presence of the Solicitor and where there is a Will in existence, the Inventory and Will are lodged in the local Sheriff Court with the request that the Sheriff Clerk issues a Grant of Confirmation (otherwise known in England as Grant of Probate). This Grant of Confirmation gives the Executor express authority to instruct the Solicitor to uplift the moveable assets of the deceased and to deal with the transfer or sale of heritable property.

When is Inheritance Tax payable?

For tax year 2011/12, the nil rate band over which inheritance tax is payable is £325,000. The nil rate band has been frozen until 30th April 2015. However, there are many exemptions and reliefs within this complex area of taxation and taking into account only the nil rate band is an over simplification of this area of the law. Transfers between spouses or civil partners are exempt for inheritance tax purposes and the nil rate band of £325,000 enjoyed by each individual is transferable between spouses and civil partners. It is not possible to go into detail in relation to inheritance tax within the confines of this section. Needless to say, clients should always monitor the extent of their assets and should consult with Lamonts in relation to possible inheritance tax liability. The drafting of even a basic Will can often assist in mitigating inheritance tax liability.

What is the charge for winding-up an Estate?

The charges involved will broadly depend on the size of the Estate, the amount of the work carried out in the administration of the Estate, the responsibility involved and the complexity of the Estate. The solicitor attending to your file will charge for time expended, together with additional charges in relation to letters/emails etc, and is also allowed payment based on the amount of funds handled (often referred to by law accountants or auditors as ‘a commission’). Executry files are usually submitted by us to either the Auditor of the local Sheriff Court where possible, or to a private Law Accountant, for the assessing of charges.

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