Wills and Probate: A Simple Overview

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Wills and Probate A Simple Overview
A will is a legal document that determines how a
persons estate is administered in the event of
their death. For example, it tells us who should
inherit the house (if there is one), where they
want to be buried (if they want to specify this),
and various other things too. Probate simply
refers to the legal process of administering the
estate it includes checking the legality of the
will if there is no will, then it involves
choosing an executor and it includes the actual
execution of the will. It is a relatively
straightforward process overall, but it can
easily become complicated. Furthermore, many
people find it confusing because there are so
many different factors involved. Here, we are
going to attempt to create a simple outline of
the wills and probate area of law.
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By the time you reach the end of this article,
you should feel much more confident in your
understanding of this area of law. What is a
will? A will is a legal document that outlines
what you want to have happen to your estate once
you die. It is a written document that you have
to sign in front of at least two witnesses. There
are legal conditions that must be met when making
a will, and so it is always a good idea to have a
solicitor check it over to make sure that it is
correct.
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What is probate? Probate simply refers to the
process administrating a deceased persons
estate. There are two elements 1. If the person
has a will, it will name an executor to
administer the will. Probate involves obtaining
the legal authority to do this. 2. If the person
does not have a will, then probate involves
finding an appropriate person to administer the
estates, and granting that person the authority
to do so.
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Why bother making a will, if someone will be
appointed anyway? There are several issues hers
1. A will does not simply appoint a person to
administer the estate it also provides details
of how to administer it. For example, if you want
to leave your antique grandfathers clock to your
middle grandchild, you can write this in the will
and it is legally binding. 2. If you dont
appoint a person, then the courts will do it on
your behalf, and the person that they choose may
well be someone that you do not like or respect.
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Where should you leave your will? You should
leave your will somewhere that people can find
it. Some people leave it in their paperwork,
while others leave it with their solicitor. If
you choose the latter option, then you need to
choose a local solicitor. For instance, if you
live in Chiswick, you will need to leave it with
wills and probate solicitors Chiswick. This
simply makes it easier for people to find. You
should always tell people where your will is. If
you're scared that people might tamper with it if
you tell them, then just leave it with wills and
probate solicitors Chiswick where it will be
safe, but you should still inform your next of
kin about the location of the will.
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We have six offices located in South West London
Addlestone Ashford Chiswick Chiswick - Watson
Marshal Feltham Hammersmith Shepperton Solicitors
London Solicitors Middlesex Solicitors Surrey
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Thanks for your time
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