Issues to Consider When a Family Member Dies
>> Dec 23, 2012
A death
in the family, especially if completely unexpected, can come as quite a shock
to the rest of the family members. While the deceased is remembered and
commemorated through a variety of functions, including a funeral and possible
wake, the affairs of the deceased must also be addressed. There's always the
unsettling and sometimes complex issue of properly distributing the deceased's
assets. If the individual had planned ahead, they would have created a will,
and signed it in front of witnesses, preferably at a solicitor's office, so
that it would retain full validity after their death. If however, they did not
have a will, the process for distributing their assets is slightly different
and potentially more complicated.
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Whether
a will exists or not, the initial process for those individuals that are going
to take charge of collecting and dispersing the deceased's possessions and
assets remains pretty much the same. They have to be appointed by the High Court,
who will grant them the official legal authority, using what is known as a
Grant of Representation. Once this is granted, they will be known as the
Personal Representatives of the deceased's estate, and will be able to act with
full authority. But to get to that point, they will first have to fill out a
number of probate forms at the local Probate Registry Office.
There Are
Locations Nationwide
Understandably,
the principal Probate Registry office is located in London, at the First Avenue
House. However, one does not necessarily have to travel to London from across
the country to obtain the forms and submit them. There are many Probate
Registry offices located in England's major cities:
ü
The Probate Registry of Birmingham District is
located at the Priory Courts
ü
The Probate Registry of Bristol District is to be
found at the Civil Justice Centre
ü
The Probate Registry of Ipswich District is to be
found on the ground floor at 8 Arcade Street
ü
The Probate Registry of Leeds District is located
at 31 York Place
ü
The Probate Registry of Liverpool District can be
found at the Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts in Derby Square
ü
The Probate Registry of Manchester District is
located on the ground floor of the Civil Justice Centre
ü
The Probate Registry of Oxford District can be
found at the Oxford Combined Courts Building
ü
The Probate Registry of Winchester District is
located on the fourth floor of Cromwell House
ü
The Probate Registry of Wales, which serves the
entire country, is located on the third floor of the Cardiff Magistrates Court
in Cardiff
Any
Personal Representative will have a variety of forms to fill out, depending on
the circumstances surrounding the person they're representing. There is some
basic information that will always be required, such as the number of surviving
relatives and their relationship to the deceased, as well as a complete list of
all their assets and a comprehensive description of their entire estate.
It's a Good
Idea to Get Some Professional Advice
Probate forms can be complex and confusing for those who have
never filled them out before. It's not a bad idea to get some professional
advice in the matter; it's a smart move to make the entire process as smooth
and error-free as possible.
Mike is a US-based lifestyle writer covering the
latest trends in modern society, and all of its implications, including probate forms. He writes on a
freelance basis for many of the major lifestyle blogs.
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