Following the death of an individual, the person (or people) who administer the deceased’s estate are known as personal representatives. Personal representatives are either appointed in the deceased’s will as an ‘executor’ or are appointed by the court as an ‘administrator.’
Personal representatives’ duties may include, but are not limited to:
- Determine the assets and liabilities of the estate
- Protect those assets
- Obtain the grant of probate, where needed
- Collect all property and assets that devolves on them, including taking action to recover debts due, within a reasonable timescale and administer the estate in accordance with the law
- Settle any tax liabilities of the deceased, including an Inheritance Tax account as appropriate, dealing with their tax affairs up to the date of death and for the administration period of the estate
- Distribute the estate in accordance with the will or rules of intestacy
Each situation is different and comes with its own requirements. During this sensitive and stressful time, it can be reassuring to hand over the responsibility of obtaining probate to an experienced professional, who can attend to the necessary duties thoroughly and compassionately.
Burton Sweet can guide you through each step of the probate process…
Our role
Our Private Client Team has the specialist knowledge and qualifications to provide personal representatives with a clear and holistic service to simplify the process of obtaining non-contentious probate and administering an estate.
Where we have an existing client relationship, this will usually provide us with an understanding of the deceased’s historic tax filings, as well as providing us with an overview of the deceased’s estate composition (assets and liabilities), which can speed the process.
We can ensure that matters are handled in the most tax efficient manner, whilst drawing attention to any potential tax traps or pitfalls.
How can we assist personal representatives?
As part of our probate services, we can…
- Obtain Grant of Probate for non-contentious cases
- Determine whether an Inheritance Tax account is required, and if so prepare and submit the account and supporting schedules to HMRC
- Ensure the tax affairs of the deceased are complete and finalised with HMRC
- Prepare and submit any estate tax compliance pertaining to the administration period
- Administer the estate, determine assets and liabilities, pay legacies, distribute the estate
The Burton Sweet partnership is authorised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales to carry out the reserved legal activity of Non-Contentious Probate in England and Wales. You can read our general partnership terms of business here. Read our sample terms of service for probate work here, including information on the complaints procedure, with reference to the ombudsman. Additionally, you can read our diversity report for the partnership here.
Need some guidance?
Please contact us if you would like some assistance with a probate matter; a member of our private client team will be happy to help…
