We can never know what life has in store for us, and sadly, terminal illnesses can strike at any time. How would your home be left if something happened to you soon? Dealing with your estate during the probate service is a job for your next of kin, but ensuring things...
Dealing with the estate of a deceased loved one is never easy, and it is a potentially complex process that takes some time. Delays to the probate process are becoming more common, with many estates taking more than a year to settle. Here we look at why obtaining a...
Life insurance policies can be worth a substantial sum of money, often the details of which are not known until someone dies. So, what implications do life insurance policies have regarding probate? Read on to find out. Is Life Insurance Part of an Estate? Generally,...
If someone has assets in England or Wales and they die, a Foreign Grant of Probate is usually required to deal with these assets. This includes bank accounts, savings, shares and property. If the deceased was not a permanent UK citizen, a Grant of Probate might...
The traditional funeral with black veils and sad songs is not as popular as it once was, with many people choosing to have a celebration of life with bright colours, happy memories and uplifting themes. Whatever the wishes of the deceased, one thing is for sure –...
When dealing with assets in Australia on behalf of a deceased individual's estate, the executor or administrator must obtain the English Grant of Probate resealed by the Australian Courts before dealing with those assets. The 1982 Colonial Probates Act allows for the...
Recognition of UK probate grants With regard to probates, the UK only has three jurisdictions: England and Wales Northern Ireland Scotland Hence, for a deceased person who was domiciled in any of these jurisdictions but had assets in another, one grant is required....
Let us take a typical case of an individual domiciled in Australia and passes away leaving his registered home and bank accounts in London. The UK land registry can not recognise the Australian letters of executorship nor will the financial institution recognise it....
When someone has passed, and they have assets in other countries, it can feel like an absolute hassle to deal with. If someone does have assets in Australia, then they'll need to be freed up so they can be either sold or given over to the beneficiary. This is a...
The Medallion Guarantee has a number of different names, including the Medallion Stamp, the Medallion Signature, and the Gold Medallion – however, whatever you choose to call it, it is important to know what it is all about, and what it means for you. The Medallion...
Given recent media stories such as the "Paradise Papers" investigation, you may have heard about offshore accounts and tax avoidance. Even if you haven't, you've perhaps wondered if it's possible to get a better rate of return on investments or savings you may have....
An apostille certificate is a useful thing. It's a certificate that is issued for documents so that they can be recognised in member states, and won't be subject to additional checks and legislation. Usually, the apostille certificate will be issued by the state where...
The probate process entails proving and registering the last will of a deceased person in the Supreme Court. It is the obligation of the executor of the deceased person's will to administer their estate and oversee the process of disposing of their debts and assets. A...