Help with Probate For Insurance Please

SIRENS

Thank you all so much, my husband did not have a will, which I think is causing most of the problems, I know it’s crazy but he was only 48 and it was sudden, just something we kept meaning to get to.
I have an interim certificate as the coroners are still investigating, they say it may take 2 months for cause, I can use that but I don’t have an original as they email it to you, I’m going to print it out and try using that, thank you Bookjewels, I will have a look at the bereavement support payment, my husband was still employed at the time and my kids are 17 and 14 so I do get child benefit, his work have been in touch and are looking into his pension and I think he had death in service or something. 

I just feel a bit overwhelmed I think, I never realised how much there would be to deal with above the actual loss of someone 
thanks again xx

Mojisola

SIRENS said:

My husband had about 35k in saving which the bank don't need probate for

 Sorry I'm so confused, bad enough dealing with the funeral and helping my kids cope, now worried about all this and paying all the bills.

If the bank is ready to release the money without probate, you can get that transferred to your account and use it for bills.

You will have to include this amount in the probate paperwork.

Keep_pedalling

Speak to you lender they will hopefully be supportive under these horrible circumstances

Mojisola

It's horrible to think of at a time like this but, as you have children, don't leave it too long before making a will yourself.

RAS

Hi, really sorry that you find yourself in this situation. 

As your husband was intestate, you need to comply with the rules for intestacy

The husband, wife or civil partner keeps all the assets (including property), up to £270,000, and all the personal possessions, whatever their value. - Intestacy - who inherits if someone dies without a will? - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

A lot is going to depend on the house value, whether it's a joint tenancy or tenants in common and if he completed a form covering his death in service benefit.

Since there are no other adult beneficiaries, if you can access the savings to pay the mortgage in the short-term, I'd be tempted to do that. But make sure you keep good records.

BooJewels

I wish you luck and fortitude @SIRENS - my husband was ill for a long while and we had time to get organised to some degree and the critical illness payout settled our mortgage and left a bit of savings, so I'm perhaps better placed than yourself, as I had time to start the process.  I'd already started putting utility bills in my name and getting access to accounts in his name, so it took some of the sting out of it.  So I can imagine how difficult it must be for you.  And because he was already ill, we had made wills when he was diagnosed.

With me, it's stupid little things like not being able to operate the TV properly, as he has a fancy arrangement with set top boxes and amplifiers etc.  And I need to defrost the freezer desperately, but don't know which plug it is and it's behind a piece of furniture that my arms aren't long enough to reach behind anyway!  Today I put a new screw in for the calendar - I realised that I couldn't change the month over without getting steps, so I lowered it today.

I've found that there was a massive flurry of activity initially, but things gradually get sorted one by one (and periodically you remember one you'd forgotten - and some get sorted more easily than others) and then you realise that you're emerging the other side of it.  I've only one private pension outstanding that I'm waiting for payment from - I will give a big sigh of relief when that appears.

SIRENS

Thank you all for your help, I guess it's one step at a time, much appreciated xx

SIRENS

Sorry 
I'm still battling with sorting out probate, I've started filling in the forms on the hmrc website, but I'm so confused, when I add the property value plus both insurance policies and savings it's takes me over the inheritance tax threshold, but the house is mortgage so I don't own it that's what the insurance is for? Also do I need to get an actual proper valuation or can I go off what the house next door sold for last year? 

Sorry I'm just so lost, funeral was last week and I'm trying to keep it together for the kids but this is just one more thing. 

Thanks

Keep_pedalling

SIRENS said:

Sorry 
I'm still battling with sorting out probate, I've started filling in the forms on the hmrc website, but I'm so confused, when I add the property value plus both insurance policies and savings it's takes me over the inheritance tax threshold, but the house is mortgage so I don't own it that's what the insurance is for? Also do I need to get an actual proper valuation or can I go off what the house next door sold for last year? 

Sorry I'm just so lost, funeral was last week and I'm trying to keep it together for the kids but this is just one more thing. 

Thanks

The insurance may not be part of his estate, and as you were joint owners of the house you only declare half its value. Also anything you inherit from him is exempt from IHT so you should not have to worry about that.

What is the current value of the house and how big is the mortgage? What is the value of his sole saving and any joint savings you have? 

SIRENS

The house is roughly worth (going on a sale next door last year) 350k, outstanding mortgage 115k, savings around 45k in his name no joint savings