As an executor paying bills for an estate

Newly_retired

On the gov.uk website there is a guide to applying for Probate. It includes a questionnaire and depending on your answers, it tells you whether IHT is payable. If it is not, then it tells you which form to use, ie if it is an Excepted Estate.It sounds as if yours is likely to be. After that it is straightforward.

wilkko73

Hi @Newly_retired thank you

wilkko73

Hi folks I'm in a bit of a predicament.Sorry for being vague but I'm still all over the place after losing mum last week.
I have just had a proper look at the will and it says that the solicitor is also an executor of the will.I know that I can ask them to renounce if they haven't started work and often they will.I want them to do this as I'm worried about the costs as I don't want to end up having to sell the home to pay their fees as this would go against everything my mum wanted for me. and I would be homeless.

I thought I had a proper version of the will at home but it's only the version given to us for approval when making the wills so no signatures on it, I'm going to have to speak to them anyway as I haven't got anything that will give me access to funds at the bank.I'm getting a death certificate from the registrars tomorrow and will have a funeral invoice probably given to me today when I go to the funeral directors so I don't know how that will pan out.

I'm wondering how costly it will be to ask them to renounce will they do a codicil  that I can then take to the bank?

After mum's remaining care fees etc are paid there should only be about £10k remaining in the estate which will be easy for a solicitor to go over so that's why i don't want them to act.I haven't got any savings after caring for my mum for 8 years so I can't help pay fees.

Keep_pedalling

Solicitors will usually charge a fee for the small amount of work associated with doing so but this should not be more than £200-£300. 

Just to add there is no need to rush to do this. You can get the bank to release the money before you have probate so you will have the cash to sort out any estate expenses well before you obtain probate. Having said that in your shoes I would just get on with it as throwing myself into the admin when dealing with my mother’s estate helped with the grieving process, but we all handle these things differently.

Newly_retired

The funeral costs have priority. You can give the invoice to the Funeral Director plus your Mum's bank details and they will take it directly.

When you see the Registrar they will give you a code to Tell Us Once which will relieve you of some admin, as DWP, DVLA, Local Authrity will be informed.

wilkko73

Keep_pedalling said:

Solicitors will usually charge a fee for the small amount of work associated with doing so but this should not be more than £200-£300. 

Just to add there is no need to rush to do this. You can get the bank to release the money before you have probate so you will have the cash to sort out any estate expenses well before you obtain probate. Having said that in your shoes I would just get on with it as throwing myself into the admin when dealing with my mother’s estate helped with the grieving process, but we all handle these things differently.

Thank you..

wilkko73

Hi @Newly_retired

Thank you,the funeral director has said she will need 50% of the funeral cost on Wednesday and I'm only just getting the death certificate tomorrow so haven't even had chance to get to the bank yet,there isn't a bank in my town so will have to get to the next town after I have received the  death certificate.I don't even know if they will say an appointment needs to be made pushing it back further,beside I won't have even had that codicil from the solicitor that I'm hopefully going to get so I can act alone .A friend has sent me £2000 to my bank account just now in case I need it to pay the 50% so if I need to I will pay it I can do that.
I will pay that online and will get a receipt  from the undertaker do you think my friend would have to wait long before I could get him the money back or can I just pay him from funds as soon as they release my mum's money to me or do I have to set up an executor account? Mum was with Barclays. 
At least mum hasn't got too many debts I think she's only got 2 months of home care to pay and that's it besides any funeral costs.
Do you know at what stage I can pay things like the home care bill can I just transfer that from my account if they send mum's money to me or does that have to be done later during probate?.

Savvy_Sue

I would just tell the FD that they will be paid from Mum's account: here are the bank details, please go ahead and recover direct. You have told the bank mum has died, have you not? While they will want to see a death certificate, I think they should be able to stop any payments (apart from to FD) being made. 

It won't be a codicil you get from the solicitor, it will be some form of renunciation. 

Once mum's money has been released to you, then you can do what you like with it (obviously within the terms of the will), so you can pay any bills immediately, or not. There is no need to pay mum's debts from your own money. 

wilkko73

Hi @Savvy_sue that makes more sense to me but that place has to do it that way.I'm only getting the death certificate tomorrow afternoon so will travel to bank tomorrow after that if I can get there in time.Thank you for your help.At leased I'm progressing with the order of service for the funeral. I've got a very small family just me and my lad  in England now so I haven't had much support.I'm looking forward to relatives coming down from Scotland soon.