Probate

[jaycee401]

I am the sole benefactor and executor of a Will for someone who has sadly passed away. I had POA which I presume will no longer be active. Probate needs to be granted which I will start once I have registered the death. There are 3 bank accounts which I need to close. Am I right in presuming until probate has been granted the money in the accounts will be frozen, or can I close the accounts and transfer the monies. I need to pay the funeral costs and any outstanding bills. Thanks

[wiltsman]

Does this help?

https://www.gov.uk/wills-probate-inheritance/overview

[dzug2]

The money in the accounts will be frozen, yes

But one of them should agree to settle the funeral bill direct

Other bills have to wait

[factor-fiction]

Some undertakers will wait until probate is sorted

[VHG]

DONT close the accounts yet, you may need to pay money out from them, or pay money IN to them (if an organization like the Gas board etc owes the person who died money).

The bank will happily pay for the funeral out of one of the accounts if you ask them.

My wifes mother died a few years ago and my wife closed the bank accounts and then had all sorts of problems when she got cheques BACK from people like the gas board, written out to her mother, but she had no acount to pay them in.

Took a while to sort out.

Close the accounts down near the end when everything has been sorted out.

Maybe buy a small book about being an executor of a will to help you.

[jaycee401]

Thanks for helpful replies.

[Peter Pedant]

Not so much close as freeze.

Altho the Bank should allow funeral expenses, we couldnt achieve this and charged the estate - of which we were executors.

Once you have bought your "be your own executor book"

You will have to decide how to get the money for the funeral out of the account. Bearing in mind you know the person whose cheque you are signing is dead. The only person you would be defrauding is..... yourself but even so.....I wouldnt offer a cheque in the name of someone I knew was dead.

Can you close the accounts ? No you can only freeze them - and you do this by visiting the bank and presenting a photocopy of the death cert.


outstanding bills have to wait for probate.


There are quite a lot of posts on probate on AB
straightforward
but basically there are rules you have to follow