Probate Law

It is important to make a Will whether or not you consider yourself to have many possessions or money.

It is important to make a Will for the following reasons:

• If you die without making a Will, there are certain rules which will determine how your Estate is distributed. When this happens, the intestacy rules will apply. The effect of this is that your estate may be distributed in a way which you would not want it to be.
• If you have children, it is advisable to have an up to date Will that can ensure that money and property is passed down to them at the appropriate juncture.
• Unmarried partners and partners that have not registered a civil partnership cannot inherit from one another unless a Will is in place. It is therefore very important to have a Will to ensure that your loved ones are protected.

Our qualified Wills Solicitors are at hand to offer you a bespoke service whereby we can create a Will for you, for as little as E100 plus VAT. If you are unable to attend our offices, we will travel to your home to take your full instructions (subject to travel charges).

With the benefit of technology, we are also able to prepare your Will online. Just simply e-mail us for our questionnaire and return to us. We will aim to prepare a bespoke Will for you within 48 hours.

Applying for Probate can be stressful and bewildering. Individuals may have to apply for probate in order to deal with the financial affairs of their loved ones. This is also commonly referred to as ‘the administration of the estate’.

Where there is Will

If the deceased has left a Will, then the Executors of the Will should apply for a Grant of Probate from the probate office. This is a formal legal document that allows the Executors to effectively deal with the administration of the deceased.

Absence of a Will

In this situation, a close relative or friend may wish to apply to the Probate office to obtain ‘Grant letters of administration’. This will allow the individual to deal with the administration of the estate.

Our qualified Probate Solicitors can assist with applying for probate. We also offer services whereby we can help you prepare a schedule of assets and liabilities owned by the deceased. We will also ensure that the appropriate Inheritance Tax forms are submitted to Revenue. This is a necessary step to take before probate can be granted. Preparing the forms incorrectly can cause delays in the process and it therefore means that it will take longer for the Estate to be distributed and for beneficiaries of the will to receive what is rightfully owed to them.

The making of a will can be from quite simple to that of a quite complex nature. It is necessary that a will is made in order to avoid, as much as possible, family disputes.

Litigation in this area is growing rapidly bringing about bitter disputes and breaking up family ties. A well estabilshed will can go a long way towards avoiding such a situation.