Discovery of Deceased Persons Bank Accounts

[pjog]

When somebody dies, how can the next of kin find out what bank accounts they have - and what assets they have?

[Barmaid]

It is not up to the next of kin to do this but to the executor of the will (if any). If there is no will and the estate passes under intestacy, the next of kin will become the administrator on application to the Probate Registry.

The person who is to be the execr/admr should go to the deceased's property and do a paperwork search. They look for bank statements, credit card bills, tax returns - in fact anything that might help in identifying assets. They then write to the asset holder with a copy death certificate and ask for details of the assets the deceased held with them. The information received in return will form the basis of an application to the Probate Registry.