Joint accs. - is solicitor required in event of death of one named

Johnhowell

Sorry about your father's news. My father died a few years ago with terminal cancer. My sister was joint account holder on his bank account. She and I were joint executors. Dad wrote a will to identify that the majority of his account (less than £7500) would go to the grand children - not children, after some specified small amounts to friends.

As the estate was less than £7500 no IHT probate forms were required. As your fathers estate is more than the lower threshold, these form will have to be filled - but no IHT payble. The short forms are not that difficult to fill in and the helpline is very helpful.

Another suggestion that helped my father, was to apply for Attendance Allowance. You can telephone the application telephone number on his behalf and quote his NI number and "Special Rules" and the application will be processed quickly. The form is quite long and a report (Report 3200 if I remember correctly) is required from his doctor. I think the Macmillian Nurse and health visitor helped filling in the form. We telephoned the doctors surgery and the form was ready for collection quite quickly - no appointment necessary. The higher allowance is back dated to the date of the telephone call and is paid with the state pension. NB - no attendance is actually required...

Good luck,
John

Mojisola

Johnhowell wrote: »

Another suggestion that helped my father, was to apply for Attendance Allowance. You can telephone the application telephone number on his behalf and quote his NI number and "Special Rules" and the application will be processed quickly. The form is quite long and a report (Report 3200 if I remember correctly) is required from his doctor. I think the Macmillian Nurse and health visitor helped filling in the form. We telephoned the doctors surgery and the form was ready for collection quite quickly - no appointment necessary. The higher allowance is back dated to the date of the telephone call and is paid with the state pension. NB - no attendance is actually required...

I've had to do this recently for a relative. As the application was made under the special rules, the form was quite short - you bypass all the questions about what the claimant can and can't do.

You can also do it on behalf of a relative if they are not well enough, don't want to apply for it or you don't want to have to discuss the special rules part of it with them.

Lemanie_2

Hi Thistledome,

You're right - the money in a joint account goes directly to the survivor and doesn't form part of the estate (in the same way property owned as joint tenants does).