Executries

A death in the family is a distressing time for all concerned. At this difficult time, we offer sympathetic advice to ensure that the process of winding up a loved one’s estate is carried out in the appropriate timescale and as smoothly as possible. Every estate is different, sometimes with difficult issues or situations to resolve and we will always be on hand to guide you through the process.

The law in this area is complex. Even where a Will is left, it is imperative that Executors obtain expert advice on the terms of the Will; that Executors are fully aware of their legal duties and their responsibilities to the estate; and that issues such as legal rights claims and other matters of succession law are properly dealt with. We can provide this expert advice.

Wills

Everyone should have a Will. Even if you believe that your estate is small, dying without a Will can cause immense difficulties for your relatives. Extra expense and time is involved in winding up an estate where the deceased has no Will and the property, assets and money in the estate may not go to the people the deceased would have intended. In cases where there is no family, the Crown may end up receiving the estate funds.

Married couples often believe that, even if there is no Will, they will inherit each other’s entire estates on death. This is not the case – the spouse’s inheritance, among other factors, depends on the types of assets left by their spouse and the value of the estate.

Where children under the age of 16 inherit from a deceased parent who left no Will, the estate falling to the children is held and managed by the Accountant of Court and the children will receive, outright, the money and/or assets from the estate on their 16th birthday. This is rarely what a parent would have intended.

All these difficulties can simply be avoided by preparing a Will.