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House valuation - Probate & inheritance tax
I'm dealing with an estate where the first spouse died 5 years ago and left everything to their partner, so I believe the estate has a £1m threshold. The value of the estate is ~ £640k, so there is plenty of headroom. But I'm struggling with the house valuation, and clearly want to avoid under valuing for IHT and then…
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Is this worth reporting?
My auntie (my mother’s first cousin) suffered a severe brain injury in a car
accident in 2023. Her husband (my uncle) was physically uninjured but died
shortly afterwards in late December 2023. They had no children, and I am her
closest relative. My auntie is now in a care home and lacks capacity. I live
200 miles away;…
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Inheritance of Pension funds
Adult children stand to inherit some funds from a deceased parents pension. Parent was over 75. My understanding is, The pension does not form part of the deceased estate for IHT. The children pay income tax on the funds recived at the corresponding tax rates. (These vary from 20%to 40%) Can the children avoid paying this…
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Money Moral Dilemma: Should my sibling compensate me for handling our parents' estates?
This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks... My sibling and I lost both parents, who were separated, in quick succession. My sibling lives overseas and has been great moral support, but hasn't been able to help with the huge amount of related admin. We split the inheritance equally and paid for flights from the shared…
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Fee for obtaining Probate copies to increase
The Ministry of Justice has announced that the fee for obtaining copies of probate grants, wills or letters of administration in England and Wales will increase from £1.50 to £16 per copy on 17 November 2025. Notice appeared in London Gazette, spotted 14/11/25.Apologies if someone else has already reported this.
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30 day survivorship clause - does time of day matter?
My father-in-law died 29 days ago.There is a 30-day survivorship clause in his will.We found out today that my mother-in-law, who has a Do Not Resuscitate in her notes, has been placed on an end-of-life pathway . She could pass today, tomorrow or could recover and go on for years. If she passes today, then the relevance of…
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Meeting with IFA / Wealth Advisor & 2027 pension changes
We have been self-employed for 40 years, retired at 70 this year, I own my home and invested in commercial property and diverted surplus funds in to / my our SIPP's to the value of £1.5 million, house value 850k + savings. We had a meeting with a wealth advisor. IHT estimated at today's rates / regulations valuation is…
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House sells for more than probate valuation?
Hi. Hopefully a straightforward question that I can't find the answer to here so far. What happens if my mother's house (father has already died) sells for more than the probate valuation? In the process of preparing to apply for probate, there will be no IHT to pay. Thanks in advance.
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CGT - house to be left to me and nephews, also, house in limbo..
Dad died in Feb, mum applied to land registry (LR) for the deeds, filled in wrong form, then died herself. House is to be left to me and my (late) sisters children. I've heard different equations about CGT, if I sell the house and get half, £175k, will it add to my tax bill? Their dad and I want to look after their money,…
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Does a 'will trust' / 'interest in possession trust' form part of the beneficiary's estate?
My father is named as sole beneficiary of what appears to be an interest in possession trust. My step mother died recently, her estate value is approx £275k, consisting of cash and shares. With regard to the trust, my step mothers will states only the following: 1) My father has the right to interest from the trust for…
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"Informal arrangements" letter to HMRC - structure and contents query
I'm administering my late mother's estate. Everything was completed a week ago and I'm now ready to send an "informal arrangement" letter to HMRC to report the final figures. The estate meets the informal arrangements criteria. I'm not clear what information this letter should provide, or its structure and any…
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Hargreaves Lansdown HL - Not issuing Estate Pack
Does anyone know who I can make a complaint to about HL for not sending the Estate Pack over 4 weeks from my father's passing? I'm aware the acct is frozen but that could be another 9-12 months like that waiting for Probate which I can't do until they send the pack. Emails and calls have been met with apologies, 'it's…
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Cannot find Will.
Hello all. I`m in the unfortunate position of having to deal with my Fathers estate after his recent death. My uncle says he had made a Will, but having looked I cannot find it (and in all honesty I don`t think he would have made one). I`m sole beneficiary and looking into doing the Probate at home hopefully as it should…
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IHT400/IHT403. Gifts from surplus income help please.
Sorry for yet another post on gifts from surplus income, but I am going round in circles. I am the executor of my father's will and I am in the process of applying for probate. His affairs were pretty straightforward and his will leaves everything to his surviving spouse. The only thing I am unclear on is some gifting that…
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Gifts from income or capital
I'm old enough now to be concerned about making things easy for my executors when I die. I know that I can make regular gifts out of surplus income that will not involve IHT but that these gifts must not erode my capital. What happens if my total expenditure over the year reduces my capital but some of my expenses are…
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IHT Probate and excepted estates
I am hoping you can advise Mother passed away 2023 will left all to her husband. 300k house jointly owned and father also has 110k in normal bank account and 12k in shares. Gifts may be below allowances. We will have to go through 7 years statements and bank stubs to check. We had to use our Amazon for all needs and goods…
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Making a Will
Hi, I am looking to make a simple Will for just myself and looking at using Farewill to draw this up. Has anyone used them and can recommend them or had any issues with them? They state that for a £10 subscription per year you can make unlimited changes to your Will and if you opt out of this you would need to pay £100 per…
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Help Appreciated - IPDI , Trusts and distribution of previous legacies
I thought I could sort out my dad’s estate but probate and
IHT and other anomalies are becoming confusing
the more I read and find on the web. Dad died at the beginning of September and I'm one of three
executors who are the three main beneficiaries. My sister wanted to get legal
help but I persuaded her to do it ourselves…
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Trust Wills: Porting a Trust to downsize. Who is liable for expenses
Please can somebody help. Just before he passed away my terminally ill step-father was persuaded by a solicitor, to put half of his and my mother's house in Trust, to safeguard against care home fees. The Will states that "My Trustees will……..Pay any debts funeral and
testamentary expenses”. Since he passed, my mother has…
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Fudiciary Law and executors
Hello, I would like to know if the inventory list of a deceased estate is available to the public (that's me)! I am aware of a situation regarding the conduct of the executors. 1. The person died in September 2022. 2. Money has yet to be paid to a creditor. 3. They pulled out of the sale of property located in France which…
