Online probate application - estate valuation & query re transferable nil rate band

Famau

Hello all.  My mother has passed away and I am dealing with probate application on behalf of my brother and sister (who were also named as Executors but are leaving it up to me).  I have two queries - probably rather naive but here we are...

1. The online form looks very simple.  My mother sold her house when she went into care and all her assets are in a few bank accounts.  There is nothing else.   I managed these and know the exact balances as of the date she died.  I have notified the banks who have not yet got back to me with final balances and their requests for probate (which will come as balances were over their probate limits).  Now - do I need to wait for their replies before completing probate application just in case they have added another thousand or two in interest?  It won't make a jot of difference as her estate will be around £400,000, well below the £650,00 entitlement after her late husband's nil rate band is transferred.  So perhaps daft to delay - but I have no desire to fall foul of a charge of understating value even if it doesn't make a difference.

2.  On the online form I tick that we are transferring the nil rate band.  My late father left everything to my mother so there is full entitlement.  However, there seems to be no question about who he was or evidence of his will.  So how is confirmation of entitlement to nil rate band transfer confirmed?  Do they contact me later asking for a copy of his will?  Do they check names and do it themselves from the public record?  I can't find that answer anywhere and keep wondering if I am missing something.

Thanks for any views.

Keep_pedalling

Many people don’t have wills, and probate is often not required on the death of the first spouse in which case there will be no public records to check. 

The probate office won’t ask for for a copy of his will or ask for any other evidence.

Shedman

@Keep_pedalling  Going back to the OPs first query (as being in an very similar position as OP) is it acceptable to provide a reasonable estimate of the probate value of the estate given there are only bank accounts (with known balances at date of death) and accrued interest for which a fairly accurate calculation could be made.  Or do we have to wait for all the banks to respond with necessary figures for probate purposes?   If it the former is it better to slightly over estimate for probate purposes given that it would have no impact on the IHT situation anyway?  Thanks

Keep_pedalling

You can submit an estimated value, but no need to overestimate the amount of cash that is only something to do on assets that could attract a CGT liability like a house.