In some circumstances if you wish to deal with the estate of someone who has died you will have to apply for letters of administration, instead of probate. You have to apply for letters of administration if:

• There is no valid Will
• There are no executors named in the will
• The executors cannot or are unwilling to act

The person who obtains the letters of administration is known as the administrator and that person then has the legal right to deal with the affairs of the deceased. The administrator is determined by a set order of priority and is usually a relative of the deceased or a main beneficiary in the Will (if there is one).

To enable you to apply for letters of administration the private client team at Rowlinsons can assist with a range of matters including:

• Evaluating the size of the estate;
• Ascertaining whether any Inheritance Tax is payable;
• Completing the Inheritance Tax forms;

The rules around letters of administration are potentially complex and taking legal advice is essential.

We have considerable experience in dealing with the administration of estates of all size and complexity so if you do require any assistance please do not hesitate to contact us on 01928 735333 to arrange a free appointment or click here for a call back.