What Do I Do When Someone Dies?

The loss of a friend or loved one can be a very stressful time with many people needing to be notified in the first few days. In addition to the immediate tasks you need to attend to, such as arranging the funeral, there is a lot of paperwork to be dealt with and official documents which need to be completed over the next few weeks.

What is Probate?

One of the duties you may have to undertake is applying for Probate. Probate is the process by which the will is legally ‘proved’ in a court of law, to be accepted as a valid public document. This can often be a complex and extremely time consuming process and needs attending to at a time when you may not feel able to perform this task. Countrywide Legal Services are experts in dealing with all aspects of Probate.

Let Us help

Our specialist Probate Team have a sympathetic and patient approach when dealing with bereaved relatives and will happily arrange a visit to discuss your requirements in the comfort of your own home. Unlike Solicitors and many other Legal companies who often charge an hourly rate, Countrywide provide a Fixed Fee Probate Service which is quoted in advance of any work being undertaken. This could be a considerable saving on the fees you would typically need to pay a high street Bank or Solicitor.

Once you have agreed to use our Probate service, you will be appointed your own Case Handler who will personally, look after your case. You will also be able to Track the case progress out of office hours, by logging into our Online Probate Tracker service. Our Online service allows you to see the letters and documentation sent and received by our Probate team at anytime and so, provides you with both up to date information and total transparency in our dealings.

Deeds of Variation

As part of our Probate Service, our team can also offer you independent advice on the Will itself and may, under certain circumstances, recommend that a Deed of Variation be set up in order to vary the Will. This process would effectively ensure that the beneficiaries of the Will receive as much of their inheritance as possible, without having to pay out large chunks of it to the Inland Revenue in taxes.

This process must be executed within two years of death and needs to be with the agreement of all the beneficiaries.