Executry Administration & Winding Up An Estate in Inverness
Specialist legal advice on dealing with the administration of winding up an estate of a deceased friend or relative. The death of a friend or family member can be an extremely traumatic experience and it can be difficult to cope with the administrative task of winding up an estate at such an emotional time.
Our team of legal advisors in Inverness and Highlands can make the process as simple and straightforward as possible, helping to ease the burden on family members and friends. Our Highlands team is based in Inverness with an additional office in Thurso and we act for clients throughout the Highlands, including Thurso, Caithness, Moray, Nairn, Ross-shire, Skye, Stornoway, Sutherland and Orkney.
Why should you use a solicitor in winding up an estate? Executry administration can be a complicated and time consuming legal process, especially if the deceased has a business, trust or numerous properties. We are specialists in navigating through these situations and can help you with all aspects of winding up an estate as the estate administrator on behalf of the deceased and their Executor. Please call us on 01463 795019. We would be happy to meet with you to discuss further in our Inverness or Thurso office.
Why choose us?
We have settled hundreds of estates both large and small throughout the Highlands. Winding up and estate can be a complicated process and our experienced solicitors are able to assist you in dealing with all of the complex processes and negotiations.
Our experienced and approachable team can take care of all matters arising from the death of a family member or friend in a sympathetic, speedy and efficient manner. We appreciate this can be a very difficult time for you, and with our services available in your local area, ensure advice and support is at hand for you.
Frequently asked questions about winding up an estate
The people responsible for overseeing the Executry Administration are called the Executors. An Executor can be nominated through a Will or, in the absence of a Will, by the Court
When a person dies their estate (which includes the person's property, money and possessions) must be ingathered and distributed. This is called 'administering the estate' or Executry Administration.
The first stage is to gather precise details of the deceased's assets and liabilities. The next step is to prepare an inventory of the assets and liabilities, which inventory is then submitted to the Court in order to obtain Confirmation. Thereafter, the Executor must settle any outstanding liabilities before distributing the deceased's estate in terms of their Will, or if there isn't one, in terms of the laws of intestacy.
Confirmation is a legal document issued by the Sheriff Court, also commonly known as probate. It gives the Executor authority to uplift money and other property belonging to a deceased person from the holder (i.e. a bank) and to administer and distribute it.
Yes, if the Executor does not want to carry out their duties personally they can instruct a solicitor to act on their behalf. This is often advisable, particularly in more complex estates.
The time taken to administer the estate varies and depends on the type and nature of the estate. The general rule is that an estate should not be wound up in the first six months following the death. However, more complex estates can take longer to deal with.
The cost of administering an estate again varies depending on the size and nature of the estate. To ensure that a fair and reasonable fee is charged we arrange for our files to be independently assessed by a Law Accountant.
If the deceased died leaving a Will (testate) they will have nominated who they would like to benefit from their estate. If the deceased died without leaving a Will (intestate), however, their estate will be distributed in terms of the laws of intestacy.
Inverness Key Contacts
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Partner
This is the second time Harper Macleod have helped us and on both occasions the service has been excellent.
HM Client
Since you have taken over my business, I have found everyone approachable and helpful. I now feel comfortable that my affairs are in order.
Mrs S Magee