DIY Probate & Estate Administration

DIY estate administration

In the current economic climate, you may be tempted to carry out probate yourself.

After all, if your deceased relative has left a correctly drawn and executed will, what do you have to lose by handling the estate administration yourself?

The answer could be ‘everything’.

There is a saying in the legal profession that lawyers make more money sorting out homemade wills than they do drawing up wills for their clients.

Any private client lawyer can recount some horrific stories, we’ll make sure that you don’t become one of them.

Our dedicated team of wills and probate solicitors in Birmingham is here to assist you.

RLK Solicitors
4.9
Based on 62 reviews
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elise frisbyelise frisby
14:54 08 Jul 24
Absolutely fantastic law firm , all staff are very professional always answer emails and calls straight away . Would 100% use again
Andy ChanAndy Chan
23:42 05 Jul 24
As a first-time buyer, I truly appreciate Wilson's patience, clear explanations, and constant communication throughout the house-buying process. His expertise and guidance made a complex experience smooth and empowering, and I couldn't be happier in my new home!
Lorna ClellandLorna Clelland
21:28 02 Jul 24
RLK solicitors have acted successfully on my behalf in a recent business interruption claim against my insurance company. They were professional, friendly and extremely easy to deal with. Would highly recommend them.
C LeungC Leung
18:57 02 Jul 24
Wilson is professional and reliable. Whenever we had any enquiries during the property purchase process, he would give us a call to explain in details and keep us updated of the progress.
Alastair TaylorAlastair Taylor
15:24 02 Jul 24
RLK worked on our business interruption claim against our insurers for a period of over 2 years. In that time, we were kept informed about everything that was happening on a very regular basis. The team at RLK were very straight about what the process would be, what the likely timeline was and what was required from us in terms of information and figures. At no point did they ever over promise and under deliver - quite the reverse in fact. The outcome was as good as we could have hoped for and I have nothing but praise for Chris Guy and his team who were absolutely fantastic from start to finish. Thank you.
Laura HarrisonLaura Harrison
14:23 02 Jul 24
After an extremely long and stressful battle due to a business interruption case RLK came to the rescue and were 100% the best solicitors for the job! They were extremely helpful, professional, and understanding throughout the past 3 years. The communication was amazing, I never felt left out or that I didn’t know what was going on. They strived to get the best outcome possible for me and I will forever be grateful to them. I would 100% recommend RlK to anyone.
Verity OliverVerity Oliver
13:37 20 Jun 24
RLK solicitors - What an incredible firm! The team fought tirelessly against our insurers in relation to the non payment of business interruption insurance. We were kept in the loop throughout the whole process. A member of the team was always on hand to answer any queries. Thank you RLK!
CLARE ROGERSCLARE ROGERS
17:29 06 May 24
Very professional. Respond quickly. Always there for you. Whole team I've worked with have been amazing.
Helen PreeceHelen Preece
18:43 01 Feb 24
I was involved in a complicated case involving Tennants in Common, a poorly written Deed of Trust (not written by this company). The solicitor dealing with the matter joined RLK at which point the now prolonged case began to go forward. We worked with Simon Thompson who had to work through a considerable number of communications.He grasped the basics quickly.Since then the case has progressed to a successful conclusion.Throughout they have been excellent communicators clarifying legal issues for us. Clear with their advice and support. Never made any false promises being honest where any doubts arose.I intend to continue to use this company for the now possible sale of my property.I would highly recommend this company.
Sally Coles-RobertsonSally Coles-Robertson
11:03 01 Feb 24
Jacqueline grahamJacqueline graham
19:49 22 Jan 24
Great solicitors, keep you updated every stage of the way.
Charlotte DwyerCharlotte Dwyer
16:48 22 Jan 24
Thank you, excellent service and lovely staff. Dealt with Simon regarding passport applications.
michelle Yatesmichelle Yates
17:31 17 Jan 24
Rlk are doing an amazing job, they are continuously fighting to get the payouts we deserve from our insurance companies. I’ve been kept updated the whole way through the process, and they have put so much hard work and determination into it from day 1. Would 100% recommend Rlk.
DennisDennis
18:05 05 Jan 24
I highly recommend WilsonHe is always polite, patient, and responsible. He took the time to understand my case and explain the process to me in a clear way. He was always available to answer my questions and provide me with updates on my case. I am very grateful for his help and I would definitely recommend him
Stephanie MossStephanie Moss
09:17 04 Oct 23
I whole heartedly can’t recommend RLK solicitors enough. Their commitment and communication throughout my case has been second to none. Lucy has kept me informed, and updated me every step of the way. Whatever the outcome of the arbitration, I know that they have put their heart and soul into my case and I am beyond grateful for their dedication and determination. Great work team.
Kirst198Kirst198
17:18 28 Sep 23
RLK have been and continue to be amazing working hard for my business. Lucy keeps me up to date with all the information. Very friendly and professional, who know their stuff!!Thank you for fighting for us all in the beauty and hair industry
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Professional wills and probate legal advice

The risk of incurring personal liability for debts or incorrectly allocated assets is very high.  Financial institutions and beneficiaries both have rights against the erring executor and the HMRC is very unforgiving of errors.

If you are concerned about costs please discuss the position with us. We can tailor our level of service to your requirements.

For example, in a straightforward estate we can extract probate for you and leave you to distribute the money and produce accounts.

Our private client team has many years’ training and experience in this area of work and do regular training to keep up with developments in the law.

People often think it will be dealt with more quickly by doing things themselves but distributing the estate too early is a very common mistake in DIY probate.

We will always progress matters as swiftly as possible but with attention to the time limits for creditors and potentially unknown beneficiaries to come forward. The last thing any executor ever wants to do is to have to ask a beneficiary to pay money back.

 

DIY will disasters

There is a common misunderstanding that carrying out probate is merely a matter of filling in a few forms. What could possibly go wrong? Here’s some examples of why it’s always best to talk to a wills and probate legal professional.

 

Taxation and Inland Revenue penalties

HMRC has a strict penalty regime in place; it is essential to have accurate valuations of all the assets in the estate and to declare everything. This includes the £5,000.00 auntie gave you to treat yourself last summer which falls within the seven-year rule. The penalty for non-disclosure is as much as 100% of the tax due depending on the circumstances, resulting in a hefty bill.

The rules governing taxation of income and capital gains in estates can be complicated. If the deceased was a tax payer in life, there may be outstanding tax issues from the last tax year of his/her life. Disposal of assets may result in an avoidable capital gains tax bill if handled incorrectly. Charities are ‘hot’ on tax issues where they are beneficiaries as they have special tax privileges. They will not expect to lose out if you incur an avoidable tax charge.

 

Creditors

Do you know your relative’s finances inside out? Many executors have discovered to their cost, that the deceased had some spendthrift habits. Remember, many financial institutions encourage the use of online statements, so the absence of paperwork is not something to rely on.

An executor who distributes an estate without notice to potential creditors becomes personally liable for any debts which subsequently come to life. Do you think the beneficiaries will give back the funds when this situation arises? Is the credit card provider going to understand when you explain there is no money left because the beneficiaries were pressing for payment?

Misunderstanding the will

Do you really understand what the will says? Are you aware of the various duties and obligations of trustees where there are minors involved? In homemade wills, the use of incorrect terminology can increase the risk to executors. ‘Money’ for instance has a statutory definition and, although frequently used by writers of homemade wills, does not always fulfil its usual meaning.

 

DWP investigations

If the deceased received means tested benefits in life, DWP are notified that probate has been issued. They often write for a breakdown of the assets to check the assets declared during the deceased’s lifetime were correct.

Often the estate at death will be greater due to the inclusion of assets which are ignored for means testing but sometimes the deceased will have under declared his assets. An investigation can be lengthy and the estate cannot be distributed until it has finished. An issue may arise where the DWP will take some time to write the first letter of enquiry so the DIY executor has already distributed funds.

 

Missing or unknown beneficiaries

Relationships in families can be complex. Numerous permutations of natural children, stepchildren, half brothers and sisters, adopted children and children who are treated as adopted but are not officially so, can occur within one family. Intestacy rules ignore step relationships and wills need to make their status clear. Do you know for certain your auntie did not have a child before her marriage, who may have claim to the estate? In short, the term ‘my children’ may include unknown beneficiaries and exclude some you might think qualify.

 

Insolvency

The case where you may be most inclined to do it yourself is the one where you should definitely not – the situation where the estate is insolvent. There are strict rules governing insolvent estates and the order of payment of creditors. Please seek our advice and make sure it is done correctly.

Get in touch, for more information on how we can help you

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