Probate solicitors Portsmouth relieve the stress! Andrew and Andrew Solicitors Limited At first, the thought of being named as an executor of a deceased’s estate may not sound too daunting. However, there is a lot of responsibility that comes with the role of being an executor of an estate. Not knowing and understanding the proper process and the multitude of pitfalls can land an executor in a lot of trouble. It’s far better to get probate solicitors Portsmouth to handle the estate while you concentrate on other things that have to be done and organised. Certainties in life It’s an old cliche but also a valid one; there are only two certainties in life, taxes and passing away. Therein lies the problem when dealing with a deceased's estate: making sure that amongst all the other things, the tax implications have been properly handled. Navigating the minefield that is involved in probate and everything associated with it is best left to probate solicitors Portsmouth. So what is probate? Probate is defined as the right to handle someone's property legally. The word “legal” immediately throws up a red flag and is why it is best to engage probate solicitors Portsmouth. First of all, it is necessary to establish whether there is a legal will. Some people pass away without a will, which has its own set of challenges. In the case of no will, there are different rules as laid out under the rules of intestacy. What to do if you are nominated as the executor If a person is nominated as an executor, it becomes their responsibility to handle the legal duties surrounding the process. This will include settling all the debts of the estate, selling off assets if necessary and distributing the remaining assets. It sounds straightforward enough, but there is a lot of searching and chasing necessary to ensure that everything is handled correctly. If you as an executor are found to have made an error, even a genuine mistake, that can still cost you. Uncovering all the assets and debts of the deceased’s estate can take time and a great deal of effort, and a specialist team of probate solicitors Portsmouth would have the time and resources to handle the whole process quickly and efficiently. Asset distribution Distributing the relevant assets to the correct beneficiary is obviously vital, but of course, when it comes to money, human beings can become hostile. This is another reason to use probate solicitors Portsmouth as they can ensure that every process has been correctly and thoroughly followed to avoid any later repercussions. Bank accounts, property, etc The experience gained over decades by probate solicitors Portsmouth cannot easily be matched by a novice. All that experience means that probate solicitors Portsmouth know where to look and how to uncover the information that is required. The larger the estate, the more complex the search is, as there could be local and international assets. Locating all the assets and settling all the estate debts is part of the process. Knowing and understanding the international laws to liquidate foreign assets is something that an experienced team of probate solicitors Portsmouth can handle. The often more complex part of the process, when there are numerous beneficiaries, is the distribution of assets SOURCES: http://a2solicitors.co.uk/wills-probate/probate/ Dealing with the deceased estate | Age UK Applying for probate: What is probate - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)