Probate
Probate is the legal process of settling someone’s estate after they die: proving the will, finding and valuing everything they owned, settling debts and tax, then passing on what remains. How long it takes, and how hard it is, depends almost entirely on how easy the estate is to find.
What probate involves
An executor named in the will, or an administrator appointed by the court where there is no will, has to account for the whole estate: property, bank and savings accounts, investments and pensions, insurance, personal belongings and digital assets, along with any debts. They prove the will, value everything, settle what is owed, and pass on the rest to the people named. In England and Wales this sits under the Administration of Estates Act 1925, with separate rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The work is rarely the hard part. Information is. An executor can only deal with what they can find, and most estates are spread across drawers, inboxes and accounts that only the person who died knew about. Our guide What Is Probate? walks through the full process.
Probate the hard way
Without a clear record, probate starts with a search. Executors comb through paperwork to work out which banks, providers and policies exist, then write to each institution in turn. Online accounts sit locked behind passwords no one has. Smaller assets and valuables are easy to miss, and a missed asset can leave the estate undervalued or wrongly shared out. All of it happens while the family is grieving, and it can stretch a simple estate into many months.
Probate the easy way, with Inheritable
A complete Inheritable account turns that search into a handover. What your executors need is already recorded, kept current, and released to the people you choose, when you choose. The more of your account you fill in, the less they are left to work out.
The parts that matter most for probate:
- Wealth Holdings: investments, pensions, shares and other holdings, listed so nothing is overlooked.
- Finances & Insurances: bank accounts, savings and policies, with the details needed to reach each provider.
- Treasured Possessions: valued belongings recorded, along with who you would like them to go to.
- Gifts & Donations: the gifts and charitable wishes you want carried out.
- Digital Vault: the will, deeds, certificates and other documents, kept secure and easy to find.
- Password Vault: online accounts and subscriptions, so nothing is lost or left running.
- Key Contacts: your solicitor, accountant and advisers, ready to be reached.
- Digital Executors & Trusted Access: the right people, given the right access at the right time.
- Child Guardians & Loved Pets: who you want to care for those who depend on you.
- Farewell Plans: your wishes for the day itself, so no one has to guess.
Your executors will thank you
Naming an executor asks someone to act for you when you no longer can. A full account is the difference between handing them a clear picture and handing them a search. It takes a little time now, while it is easy, and it spares the people you trust a great deal later.