Shares after death...

ejones999 wrote: »

Might only be a small amount of shares but who knows what the total estate will consist of?
You only need to have a medium sized house with a relatively small amount of cash and shares to reach the IHT threshold.

Even then, admittedly without knowing details of the will, my understanding is that a specific bequest of a small amount of shares would be met first, and any IHT due would be paid from the residue of the estate.

The main point surely is that Jennyi and her mother in law have nothing at all to worry about at this difficult time.

ejones999 wrote: »

NO! IHT has to be paid first then the estate is shared out.
In fact you won't get a Grant of Probate before IHT has been paid.

Of course. Sorry - I didn't phrase it very well - when I said 'met first' I was referring to priority - not timing.

Once probate is obtained, specific bequests - such as shareholdings - will have priority and be satisfied in full before the distribution of the residue of the estate. That's what I meant, and it's probably relevant to this thread.