Deaths, funerals & probate

About to complete will and POAs for health and wealth. I'm married and retired(58) with 14 year old daughter . House is worth £300,000. Have retirement/growth fund with Prudential which is performing well and worth £1.2 Million which I'm drawing down on per month . Looking at changes in inheritance tax next April 2027, If…

It looks like my father in laws house will sell for £7k more than I entered on the IHT 400 form. There has also been a small income tax repayment paid to the estate since his death. Do I need to declare both these on Form C4 to update the form and pay the additional inheritance tax? Thank you

Can I just check my understanding of the IHT threshold? Married couple, joint tenants of main residence, she also owned another house in her name solely. They both have wills. His leaves everything to her or their children if she predeceases, hers leaves everything to him or their children if he predeceases except the…

Unfortunately my father passed away recently. He had a lifetime trust (set up in 2003) and we were both named on the bond it was linked to. He had a will, I am son and only beneficiary. Mum passed away in 2001. She did not have a will annd therefore he used part of her allowance to set up another trust (beneficiary trust)…

I have an inheritance arising from my parents’ estate, which is to be divided equally between my brother and me. My inheritance comprises a 50% share of our parents’ property and 50% of the residual estate (i.e. savings). I would like to vary my entitlement to the residual estate so that my share passes directly to my two…

Does anyone know which date is relevant for legal expenses insurance cover for a probate dispute? I have home insurance and have legal expenses insurance cover as part of the home insurance. I am an executor on the will of my late father. Someone who was not provided for in the will has put a claim against the will. The…

Hi All Me and the Mrs are knocking on so we wanted to sort our finances out so that all D/Ds were coming out of a joint account and would automatically continue after one of us carked. Having opened up a Starling account and laboriously transferred all D/Ds for this purpose we discovered that this wouldn't in fact happen…

After looking at gov.uk and IOV2 and IHT35000 onwards I have written a simple letter to vary part of my cash residual estate inheritance from my father to pass instead my son. There is no additional tax on the estate and it is my understanding that as it is not a deed only the original beneficiary needs to sign it and no…

I’m looking for advice from anyone familiar with Scottish succession/Confirmation law, ideally someone with professional experience in this area. My partner's mother has recently died in Scotland. Her will names my partner and two siblings as executors. The will was made some years ago, when all three were living in the…

Hello, Does anyone have any current/recent experiences with how long the recovery from estates department are taking to investigate into whether someone was over paid benefits before death? Thank-you 🙂

I am setting up an LPA which involves 2 remote attornies. WIll this signing order work:- Attorney 1 wet-signs and is witnessed by their neighbour ( who does not know donor), form is mailed to attorney 2 ( whose wet signature is witnessed by their neighbour who does not know donor) form is mailed to donor who discusses with…

Hi everyone Just looking for advice as I am confused. Due to cost I am doing my mums IHT and probate myself. The solicitors I was going to use said I need to send IHT400 form as thr property is in a will trust which triggered in 2025 on my father's death. I have looked at the form and I feel stupid asking this but for…

I had never heard of the "small pot" pension rules until yesterday - from what I can glean, if you have a pension pot of under £10k, you can take it as a 'lump sum' and pay applicable income tax in one go rather than having to draw it down monthly. Does anyone know if it's the same for a deceased person? Context: My f-i-l…

If a family member continues to live in the deceased persons house until it is sold, do the bills such as energy, council tax & water need to be put into their name or does the estate pay them? The family member cared for the deceased and has always lived in the house. They may go and stay with another relative for a few…

I need to make a will so I'm asking should I use solicitors to make one or are less expensive will writing services up to the job? It wouldn't be complicated in that I have no immediate partner or offspring so (unless they upset me!) my estate would mostly go to my two nieces and my nephew. My estate consists of primarily…

My father gave me a £20000 gift three years ago. The gift came from a joint account that he shares with my mother. My father is very ill and I don't think he has long to live. When dealing with his financial affairs can I say that the £20000 gift was part from him and part from my mother ? My mum has dementia and she can't…

Hi all, Hope ok to post here, not sure it's the right board but you were all so helpful before…………. As you may remember my half brother went into nursing home from hospital after some sort of breakdown. He owned half the house due to mother getting bad advise back in the 90's. Mother died Oct 24, Dad died Jan 23. Mother…

Hi all, Looking for some guidance on protecting my parents' assets and would really appreciate advice from anyone who's been through similar. Background: Dad is 79, Mum is 75. Mum is showing early signs of dementia. They have a Will in place already (I'm named as executor, though I haven't actually seen the Will itself…

Dad died nearly two years ago. Does mum need to notify OPG of his death and update her lasting power of attorney. We have both been appointed to act jointly and severally. Thanks

According to Martin's excellent site "This means a married couple can leave up to £1 million tax-free (2 x £325,000 tax-free allowances + 2 x £175,000 main residence allowances)." My mother died in April this year, my father died in 2009. She has left everything to the children. He left everything to her in his will, not…