Losing a loved one is always difficult and people are often quite shocked at the amount of paperwork involved in dealing with someone’s estate. At this difficult time, a law firm can take away the burden of the paperwork and help grieving family members to cope with their loved one’s affairs. Below, Simply.Law member and specialist probate solicitor Jannina Barker discusses her role in helping family members at often the most difficult times: :

Clients often come to see us regarding an estate and are overwhelmed by the amount of work involved in dealing with a family member’s affairs, once they have passed away. Our firm offer a variety of services and can help as little or as much as you wish.

Typically, we will make an appointment to discuss the Will and the estate of the deceased with the family and to review their options. People often think that if they have the will they can deal with everything using that document. This is not always the case and in a lot of cases a Grant of Probate will be required in order to deal with someone’s affairs. Again, if a family member passes away without a will you may require a Grant in order to deal with their estate.   At this initial meeting we can discuss the various issues that may be experienced when dealing with an estate and explain how our services can lift the burden from families.

Employing a law firm to deal with a relative’s estate ensures that the estate is dealt with in accordance with the terms of the Will, lessening the burden on family and friends. Full records are kept and sent to beneficiaries confirming all movements in the estate and ensuring that all funds are distributed as the deceased wished.

Simply.Law’s probate solicitors help and advise you on the following issues that you will face:

• Valuations of both assets and liabilities of the deceased
• HMRC forms
• Inheritance Tax
• Probate Registry and Grant of Probate
• Collection of assets, payment of bills and estate distribution
• Preparation of accounts

First-hand testimony from an Simply.Law lawyer

“No matter how simple or how complex the affairs are, whether there was a will written or not, our experts can help and alleviate the stress and heartache involved in this process. We can help you decide which parts of the legal process you would like to manage and we can take care of the other areas which you feel would be too technical or time consuming for you to do yourself.  We will tailor our approach to fit your requirements and circumstances.”