A Practical Guide to Administering Estates and Obtaining Probate in England & Wales

This book is designed to provide trainee solicitors, general practitioners and solicitors who don’t normally deal with estates a guide to dealing with the practical and effective administration of estates in England & Wales. It covers the main issues that the practitioner/Executor is likely to come up against when dealing with an estate. It also aims to highlight opportunities to add value to the Executors and beneficiaries and create further business opportunities for the practice. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Stephanie Christie-Carmichael is a consultant private client solicitor with over 17 years’ experience in dealing exclusively with Wills, trusts, succession & Inheritance Tax planning for high net-worth individuals and estate administration across mainland UK. Stephanie was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland. Stephanie studied Business Law and graduated with a BA Hons from the University of Strathclyde before returning to complete her LLB and Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. Stephanie started her career in private practice before moving in house to global accountancy firm, Mazars. From there, she became Managing Director with EBS Trustees Limited, one of Scotland’s oldest Will writing & private trust companies, before returning to private practice in 2020 as a Consultant Solicitor. As well as being a current member of the Law Society of Scotland, Stephanie is also a Notary Public and a full member of STEP (The Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners), an internationally recognised association for private client professionals. Stephanie has also attained STEP diplomas in both Scottish and English Wills, Trusts and Estates as well as STEP’s English Advanced Certificate in Will Writing which was obtained with distinction. A well-known face in the West of Scotland business community, Stephanie is also a regular contributor to Quality Radio’s “Legal Matters” program. CONTENTS Chapter One – Preliminary Matters Chapter Two – Intestate Estates Chapter Three – Testate Estates Chapter Four – Commorientes Rule Chapter Five – Commencing the Administration of the Estate Chapter Six – Protecting the Executors Chapter Seven – Initial Investigations Chapter Eight – Assets Written in Trust Chapter Nine – Types of Grant Chapter Ten – Settled Land Chapter Eleven – Applying for the Grant Chapter Twelve – Stopping a Grant Chapter Thirteen – Knowing When a Grant Has Been Made Chapter Fourteen – Problem Executors Chapter Fifteen – Ingathering Assets Chapter Sixteen – Payment of Debts & Expenses, Distribution & Discharge Chapter Seventeen – Varying the Terms of an Estate Chapter Eighteen – Inheritance Tax Chapter Nineteen – Income Tax Chapter Twenty – Capital Gains Tax Chapter Twenty-One – Contesting Estates Chapter Twenty-Two – Business Development Opportunities Chapter Twenty-Three – Useful Addresses and Contact Details Chapter Twenty-Four – Further Reading