24/09/2026
Client: “I got the Grant of Probate myself last year.”
Me: “Great. Have you transferred the property?”
Client: “No.”
Me: “Have you registered the trust?”
Client: “No.”
Me: “Have you paid the legacies?”
Client: “No.”
Me: “Okay… so what can I help you with?”
Client: “Can you tell me if I need to pay Inheritance Tax?”
And there, in one conversation, is one of the biggest misconceptions about probate.
Getting the Grant is not the same as administering an estate.
A Grant of Probate gives the executors the legal authority to deal with the estate. It doesn't mean the job is finished.
Depending on the estate, there may still be property to transfer or sell, liabilities to settle, tax matters to deal with, trusts to constitute and register, legacies to pay, estate accounts to prepare and the residue to distribute.
Doing probate yourself can absolutely be appropriate in some estates.
But obtaining the Grant is sometimes only the beginning.
And if you aren't sure what needs to happen after the Grant arrives, that is probably the point to get some advice — rather than putting it safely in a drawer for a year. 🙈
Here to help make a difficult time easier 🙋♀️
01612419400
Touch Solicitors Limited