Dad Recently Passed Away with No Will 3 June 2016 at 11:28PM edited 3 June 2016 at 11:41PM in Deaths, Funerals & Probate 102 replies 17.8K views

chrisb1357

So basically do a spreadsheet listing all debts and check what names they are against ie dad or joint with mum and balance of each one. This should include any on the DMP or anything else like credit cards or catalogues or store cards.

Send letters to all private pensions informing them of the death and ask what the next step is.

List anything like death in service payment etc

CAB gave me mixed answers when I spoke to them last week

Yorkshireman99 wrote: »

You need to sit down systematically record all the information you can. Only debts your late father owed are relevant but you do need to check if any debts or accounts are joint. Take your time but it is important that you go through it all systematically. You might want to ask the CAB for some guidance.

mum2one

chrisb1357 wrote: »

Morning All,


The bank accounts are in joint names and mum has an appointment with them on Monday. The advisor I spoke to said the accounts is a simple as removing my dads name from the joint account.

Thats what happened with mum, simple to get done

At the time of death my dad was employed but on the sick. His work has been informed and they have started to speak with the insurance company regarding the death in service which is 1 times 3/4 his annual wage.

Even thou your dad was on the sick - he would be classed as employed, so death in service would come into force,


I have also sent a letter to the private pension company that my dad use to pay into for many years which I am told is a large pension he had. They have sent forms back which I need to complete and return for mum. But on the pension forms it does ask for letter of Probate or Administration.

I know i'm a couple of steps in front of you, when I notified the pension company, I recieved paperwork back - what I have to send is death certificate, my mums birth certificate (had to order as hes got lost) - they didnt ask for will or anything. I'm assuming that when your dad set up the pension he would have set up who he wanted the finds to go to, whether its your mum or the local dogs home, so they would have to abide by his decision.


Do you think its best to ask Step Change to find out if they are in joint names or not.

I would def contact stepchange, - as guessing its the joint account then mum will be able to cancel the direct debit - sooner rather than later, as money goes either 1st or 11th of month from the account, x

nom_de_plume

chrisb1357 wrote: »

Send letters to all private pensions informing them of the death and ask what the next step is.

You need to establish who exactly the pension and death in service benefits are to be paid to. If they are direct to your mother then they do not count as assets of your father's but if they are to be paid to his estate then they do count.

It could be the difference between his estate being insolvent or not.

getmore4less

Stepchange need to know as they are acting as a intermediary to the creditors included in the DMP.

Tuesday_Tenor

getmore4less wrote: »

Stepchange need to know as they are acting as a intermediary to the creditors included in the DMP.

Yes, indeed.

OP, an earlier suggestion not to contact Step Change was unhelpful.
Of course they need to know that someone on a DMP that they are administering has died. Check whether any debts were Joint ( unlikely, or Mum would have been on the DMP too??.). Beyond that, tell Stepchange you don't know yet whether the estate will be solvent or insolvent. This depends on the terms of the pension and death-in-service award.

Exactly as Nom de Plume says, establish the terms of any lump sums to be received from pension and death-in-service. They could go straight to a person your father named as beneficiary of the scheme, or they could go into his estate. Either scenario is possible. Going direct to a beneficiary, outside the estate, is more common, but the other is not uncommon, so you need to check. It just depends on the terms of particular schemes he was in.

And in this case, it will make are real difference as to whether your fathers estate is definitely insolvent or might be solvent.

Come back for more guidance when you've established the position on those things.

chrisb1357

Hi all,

I have spoke to StepChange this afternoon and they was helpful on the phone. They have asked for me to email a copy of the death certificate to them and a quick email to explain everything.

They also was unable to tell me the exact balances or which debts are in which name and have advised me to contact each debt for this information.

Also they said to keep paying the £30 payment for this month only until the debts have been informed.

I have also phoned up all the debts and explained and they are all asking for a copy of the death certificate and a letter which I am going to get out today. On the letter I can ask for the exact balance and also which names the agreement was in.

chrisb1357

Do I need to send these letters named from my mum or can I do it. Reason is she does not know how to deal with all this so I am happy to do it for her

Yorkshireman99

It does not matter if you send the letters. You should not pay STEP any money until you know all the facts. Have you stopped the DD or standing order to them?

getmore4less

chrisb1357 wrote: »

Hi all,

I have spoke to StepChange this afternoon and they was helpful on the phone. They have asked for me to email a copy of the death certificate to them and a quick email to explain everything.

They also was unable to tell me the exact balances or which debts are in which name and have advised me to contact each debt for this information.

Also they said to keep paying the £30 payment for this month only until the debts have been informed.

I have also phoned up all the debts and explained and they are all asking for a copy of the death certificate and a letter which I am going to get out today. On the letter I can ask for the exact balance and also which names the agreement was in.

I would stop payments.

I would also prepare to make a complaint,

As far as I can tell that adviser may need more training.

mum2one

Another vote for stopping payment asap

My assumption - is that as it is a single DMP that the debts are all in your dads name,

If it was me... I would merely send a covering letter saying that xx died on xx

That the death certificate is enclosed

Dont ask who the debts names are in - assume that they are in your dads name, the creditors will write back saying balance is xxx

Then if the estate is insolvent - notify them then x