Probate is the legal and financial process of administering the deceased’s estate.

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Before the next of kin or Executor named in the Will can claim, transfer, sell or distribute any of the deceased's assets they may have to apply for Probate.

 

How does Probate work?

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Probate works slightly differently depending on whether the deceased person left a Will or not. The process is different, but the end result is the same – the executors (where there is a Will) or administrators (where there is no Will) are given the authority to deal with the estate.

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Wills and Probate

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Whether or not the deceased person left a Will can have a substantial impact on completing Probate. Wills are used to appoint executors, set out wishes in relation to funeral plans, guardians for children, distribution of property.

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Probate of a Will

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If the deceased person left a Will, they will have named one or more people in the Will to act as their executors. The executors will need to apply to the Probate Registry for a Grant of Probate (unless the estate does not require a grant to be administered). The Grant of Probate is a legal document which will enable the executors to deal with the assets and estate. They can use it to demonstrate that they have authority to collect the deceased person’s property, money and possessions and distribute them as set out in the Will.

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Probate where there is no Will 

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If the deceased person did not leave a Will or it is invalid for some reason, the law sets out how the Probate process works and who is entitled to administer the deceased person’s estate. There is a set order of people who can do this, beginning with the deceased person’s:

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• Husband, wife or civil partner

• Children (if 18 or over) or grandchildren (if 18 or over) if their parent died before the deceased person

• Parents

• Brothers and sisters

• Other family members

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The people entitled to administer the deceased person’s estate where there is no Will are called administrators. The administrators can apply to the Probate Registry for a Grant of Representation (usually a Grant of Letters of Administration). This, like a Grant of Probate, is a legal document which will enable the administrators to deal with the deceased person's assets and distribute them to the people entitled to them under law.