What is probate?
Not sure what Probate is or how it should happen? Templar Estate Planning’s professional probate service is here to help you.
Probate is the legal and financial process involved with dealing with the estate of a person who has died. Usually, before your estate can be distributed, the person dealing with it – normally your Executor (if you had a Will) or Personal Representative (if you had no Will), has to apply for Probate.
Key duties when applying for probate
Once probate has been granted either via a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration your estate can be distributed. Some of the duties required for applying for Probate include:
- Locating all the Estate’s assets
- Accurately valuing the Estate
- Identifying all debts and settling these
- Calculating and paying Inheritance Tax, Capital Gains Tax and Income Tax
- Dealing with HM Revenue & Customs
- Locating and contacting all Beneficiaries
- Selling or transferring property and other assets, which may involve conveyancing
- Distributing the Estate in line with the Will (if there is one) and inheritance laws
When is a probate needed?
- £5,000
- Stocks or shares
- Certain insurance policies
- Property or land held in their own name, or as Tenants in Common
What are the benefits of having a probate professional?
Much like the overall role of being an Executor applying for Probate is a process that can be completed by the average person. However, it is a very important process to get right, and ultimately the person applying for it could be legally held responsible if it is not completed correctly – particularly with calculation and payment of taxes.
Some circumstances when you might prefer to use a probate specialist:
- The estate is earning a regular income, perhaps through property or investments, where there are complicated taxes due
- You are unsure if you can or should also claim the Residential Nil Rate Band allowance, which is currently £175,000 (2021/22)
- If you are unsure whether you can claim unclaimed Inheritance Tax allowance from a previously deceased spouse
- There are doubts about the validity of the will or someone is challenging it
- The deceased died without a will and it’s a complicated estate to administer
- The deceased had dependents who were deliberately left out of the will, who have or might want to make a claim on the estate
- The estate has complex arrangements, such as assets held in a trust
- The estate is bankrupt/insolvent
- It is unclear if the estate is bankrupt
- The estate includes foreign property or foreign assets
- The deceased resided outside the UK for tax purposes
Talk to us if you have any concerns regarding probate
We can arrange for a professional probate service at a competitive price to put your mind at rest and release you or your loved ones from the burden of applying for Probate.
Contact us today to find out more.
Our other services
Will Writing
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Trust Establishment
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Lasting Powers of Attorney
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Professional Executor Service
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Our reviews
View Trustpilot here – 85 Reviews – 4.9 excellent rating – (as of 09/09/2026)
Rating
We had an excellent experience with Templar Estate Planning. They prepared the Lasting Power of Attorney application for my father and made the whole process straightforward and easy to understand.The team were professional, helpful and patient throughout, taking the time to explain everything clearly and answer any questions we had. We felt well looked after and confident that everything was completed correctly.I would happily recommend their services to anyone looking for professional and reliable estate planning advice.
Dave took all the stress out of setting up our wills and LPAs. He clearly knows his stuff and nothing was too much trouble for him. I thoroughly recommend him
Dave guided me through my first will and made it very simple - highly recommend
We recently needed to update our Wills and POAs. David at Templar Estate Planning in Caversham was recommended to us and we weren’t disappointed. David was excellent in sorting out both requirements , explaining everything clearly and making sure that we understood the whole process. He was very patient and answered all our questions with great care and understanding. The whole experience was positive and stress free. We have no hesitation in recommending David highly and he will definitely be our first port of call should we need any help and advice in the future
Templar have been very easy to deal with, they’ve been very knowledgable and outlined all our options in a very easy to understand manner. They’ve been very helpful in guiding me to the right will and explaining complications and pitfalls.I have recommended to all my friends and family and if you’re looking for assistance in any estate planning that you speak to them.
Excellent service from Templar Estate Planning from start to finish. David explained in detail too my son and myself in filling in the Power of Attorney forms. Would certainly use again if needed.
We have used Templar for our own estate planning and were given excellent service and advise, we recommended it to other members of our family who have since used them and also received the same level of friendly service with no pressure, would highly recommend
David was very understanding of the situation we were faced with and we couldn’t fault his knowledge or customer service in helping us. Many thanks and won’t hesitate in recommending you to friends and family.
I recently used Templar Estate Planning to create my will, and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. From the first consultation to the final signing, everything was handled with professionalism, care, and a genuine understanding of my needs. They explained every detail clearly and made the whole process straightforward and stress-free.They were patient with my questions, offered helpful advice, and ensured my wishes were fully captured in the will. It’s such a relief to have this important task sorted, and I really appreciate how smooth and personal the service was.I’d highly recommend Templar Estate Planning to anyone looking for trusted, expert help with estate planning.