Wills, Probates, and Administration of Estates

At Patrick Ward& Co., we have the expertise and experience to guide you through Wills, Probate and Administration of Estates issues whether you are an individual seeking peace of mind for your personal affairs and the distribution of your assets following death or if you are an executor tasked with putting the provisions of a deceased person’s will into operation. Wills, Probate and Administration of Estates is an area of law that is relevant to everybody. A Will is planning for the future, safeguarding that your wishes are carried out legally and that proper provisions are made for dependent relatives and other people you wish to benefit from your estate. Probate and Administration of Estates is the collection, valuation and distribution of a person’s assets following their death. We provide comprehensive advice to clients in relation to the following:

• Probate Applications.
• Will drafting.
• Tax advice and estate planning.
• Administration of estates.
• Administration of trusts.
• Powers of Attorney.
• Wardship Applications.
• Contentious matters.

Wills
We will be happy to meet you and take your instructions in relation to the drafting of your Will. Making a Will is not straightforward but by making a Will you control what happens to your assets, and who should inherit your assets, on your death. We will firstly take a detailed account of your particular circumstances and advise you of your obligations. We will give you a clear picture as to how your Will affects your potential beneficiaries and provide you with advice in relation to tax implications. The process will culminate with us providing you with with a Will reflecting your personal circumstances and wishes.

Probate
When the deceased has made a Will, the process under which the assets belonging to deceased is distributed is known as Probate. It is a difficult time loosing someone close to you which is understood; therefore we endeavour to make the process run as smoothly as possible. We attend to each individual case with confidentiality and respect. We will arrange a consultation in order to gather information as to what is required in order to begin the process; prior to which a checklist will be given. This will ensure the whole process is dealt with in a timely manner.

Administration of Estates
In relation to the administration of estates we advise executors and administrators on their legal duties and responsibilities and we act in the extraction of Grants of Probate and Administration. When the Grant issues we deal with the transfer of ownership of property and all other matters to ensure the deceased persons wishes. We also advise beneficiaries in relation to their rights and we have considerable experience in contentious matters and have acted on behalf of both Legal Personal Representatives and applicants.