Executing a Will

nad1611

My husband has been left as an Executor to a friends Will along with the friend's Solicitor, with my help we are happy to apply for Probate Grant etc, but what is to stop the Solicitor as joint executor saying that he will do it and therefore charging for his time.

Also when calling in and colleecting monies etc is it best to open a seperate account in order to pay debts etc?

Also any other tips would be gratefully received. The Will looks pretty straightforward as it's a fifty fifty split. The police have the keys for the house at present, but are not happy for my husband to have them until the Will has been stated as being the Last Will. How do we know if our friend went off to another solicitor and wrote a completely different Will?

Again any ideas welcome.Many thanks.:)

soupdragon10

I was executor for both my parents wills, yes I did have a separate account for cheques etc, just make sure that if insurance companies etc are sending through cheques you make sure that the payee is exactly the name on the account.

I had awful trouble with one company who sent a cheque through and made the payee 'executor Mrs......' and as the account was only as Mrs the bank couldn't pay it in.

Yes the solicitor will probably charge for his time, maybe you could make a list of all the things that you can do yourself, and if there are any more complex legal issues leave those for him to do.

Make sure you have enough copies of the death certificate to send off to insurance companies send them recorded delivery and ask for them to be returned in the same way for security. I found that banks were happy to see the original and take their own copy. Keep detailed accounts of all the money you get in and pay out, as any of the beneficiaries could ask for a breakdown of monies in the estate.

nad1611

Thanks for that. Where do you get copies of the death certificate once it's finalised?

Also I suppose when you show the death certificate, that will simply freeze the bank accounts. I am presuming you can't use any money in the account even if it was to pay for funeral expenses for example?

flora48

My late m-i-l left her son, my b-i-l, as executor along with the solicitor. We went along to see the solicitor who prepared a Letter of Renouncement for £145, and my b-i-l executed the will himself. Have to say I was surprised at this!

It is always adviable to open an executor's bank account, all is clear ten to anyone concerned.

Savvy_Sue

nad1611 wrote: »

Thanks for that. Where do you get copies of the death certificate once it's finalised?

I paid for multiple copies when I registered the death. It is more expensive to get them later, but I think you'd go through the office where the death was registered. But if you have only one copy, you can get quite a way with that: I took the same one into local branches of my Dad's bank (local to me, not where he'd held them) and they just copied it, took the account details and my details, and froze the accounts. Shortly afterwards I had statements up to the date of his death.

nad1611 wrote: »

Also I suppose when you show the death certificate, that will simply freeze the bank accounts. I am presuming you can't use any money in the account even if it was to pay for funeral expenses for example?

You can certainly pay for funeral expenses, but you may need to ask the FD to invoice the bank IYSWIM.

Mojisola

nad1611 wrote: »

Also I suppose when you show the death certificate, that will simply freeze the bank accounts. I am presuming you can't use any money in the account even if it was to pay for funeral expenses for example?

I understood that if you take the funeral director's bill to the bank, they will pay out from the account in a cheque made out to the FD.