Registered number: 10816512.
Registered office: Squiggle Consult Ltd, Suite 2069, Letraset Building, Wotton Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 6LN
Squiggle Consult Ltd. is a limited company registered in England and Wales.
Administering an estate can take months of paperwork, and executors are personally liable for any mistakes. Estate administration is the process of dealing with someone's legal, tax and financial affairs after they die: gathering in their assets, paying debts and taxes, and distributing what remains to the beneficiaries. Every estate needs administering to some extent; the question is how much help you want with it.
The first task is to establish what the person owned and what they owed. Everything they owned, less everything they owed, makes up the net estate. Some items, shares, businesses, personal possessions of significant value, or an interest in a property, may need a professional valuation. Keep a clear written record of every asset and liability you identify; this forms the basis for the HMRC return and the estate accounts.
It helps to think in categories:
Even where no Inheritance Tax is payable, the estate's value must be reported. Most straightforward estates are "excepted estates", exempt from filing a full tax account, and simply declare values within the probate application. Larger or more complex estates must send HMRC a full account (form IHT400), and any tax is due by the end of the sixth month after the month in which the person died.
Inheritance Tax (IHT), the tax charged on estates above a certain value, is a complex area. The standard rate is 40% on the value above the nil-rate band (the tax-free threshold). There are reliefs and exemptions that can significantly reduce a liability, and getting the calculation right matters. We will never guarantee a particular tax outcome, but we will make sure the right professionals review every claim. For a full picture of how IHT works, see our Inheritance Tax: The Squiggle Approach and Inheritance Tax Mitigation factsheets.
The Grant of Probate (sometimes just called "the Grant") is the court document that proves the executors' authority to deal with the estate. Without it, banks, building societies and the Land Registry will typically not release funds or transfer property.
Not every estate needs a Grant. Small estates (typically those with no property and limited savings) may be dealt with on the basis of a death certificate alone; each institution sets its own threshold. If you are not sure whether you need one, ask us.
The application for the Grant is supported by a statement of truth and, where required, HMRC's confirmation that the tax position is in order. The application fee is £300 for estates over £5,000 (as at June 2026). Straightforward online applications are typically processed in a matter of weeks, but allow longer for paper or complex cases.
Where the person died without a Will (called dying intestate), there is no executor. Instead, an administrator (usually the closest surviving relative) applies for a Grant of Letters of Administration, which serves the same purpose.
Squiggle arranges the Grant of Probate.
Once the Grant is in hand, the practical work of gathering the estate begins. This involves:
Keep estate money entirely separate from your own. Open a dedicated estate bank account to hold funds until distribution. Mixing estate and personal money, even innocently, can cause significant complications.
Before any beneficiary receives a penny, all the estate's debts must be paid. This includes:
Once debts are settled, any specific gifts in the Will (called "legacies") are paid, for example, a named sum of money to a grandchild, or a piece of jewellery to a friend.
What remains is the "residue" (whatever is left after debts, taxes and specific gifts), which passes to the residuary beneficiaries. Where professional executors act, distributions are normally held back until six months after the Grant: the deadline for certain claims against the estate, including claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, to protect everyone involved.
Before the estate is closed, the executor prepares estate accounts: a full record of what came in, what went out and what is being distributed to whom. Beneficiaries are usually asked to sign a receipt. If HMRC correspondence is outstanding, it must be concluded before the estate can be formally wound up. If part of the estate is to stay in trust, the appropriate arrangements will be put in place, see our Trust Administration factsheet for more detail.
It depends on the estate, and we aim to give you a realistic estimate at the start. As a rough guide:
Property sales, HMRC processing times and the speed of third-party institutions are often outside anyone's control. We will keep you informed throughout so you always know where things stand.
Squiggle can take on as much or as little of the estate administration as you wish, from arranging the Grant of Probate to handling everything end to end, while you focus on your family. Book a call with a consultant or call 01233 659 796.
Imagine Margaret, who died leaving a house worth £320,000, two bank accounts totalling £45,000, an ISA worth £18,000 and household contents valued at £4,000. She had a small credit card balance of £1,200 and outstanding utility bills of £300. Her Will named her daughter Helen as executor and left the estate equally to Helen and her brother James.
The gross estate was £387,000, with debts of around £1,500. Her net estate of £385,500 exceeded the £325,000 nil rate band. Because the house passed to her children, the residence nil rate band was also available, taking her tax-free allowance to £500,000, so no Inheritance Tax was payable and the estate qualified as an excepted estate. Helen instructed Squiggle. We valued the estate, declared the values within the probate application, arranged the Grant of Probate, sold the property, closed the bank accounts and ISA, paid the debts, and distributed the residue equally to Helen and James, with full estate accounts at each stage.
This is a hypothetical example for illustration only.
Sadly, estates sometimes lead to disagreement: challenges to a Will's validity, disputes between beneficiaries and executors, or arguments over how assets should be divided or valued. These situations are emotionally charged, and we approach them with care.
Common sources of dispute include:
We do not advise on disputes ourselves. What we can do is help you instruct specialist contentious probate solicitors promptly and support you practically alongside them, so matters are resolved as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.
Starting to distribute before debts are settled. Executors who pay beneficiaries before all debts are paid can be personally liable if the estate cannot then meet those debts.
Missing the Inheritance Tax deadline. IHT is due by the end of the sixth month after the month of death. Interest runs from that date. Late payment can be costly.
Mixing estate and personal funds. Always keep estate money in a separate account.
Ignoring smaller assets. Premium bonds, small savings accounts, outstanding tax refunds and utility deposits all belong to the estate. They may be individually small but collectively significant.
Not placing a statutory notice for creditors. A formal notice in the London Gazette (and a local newspaper) inviting creditors to come forward gives executors protection against unknown debts that emerge after distribution. It is not mandatory, but it is sensible.
Distributing too early. Waiting six months after the Grant before distributing the residue protects against claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
Administering an estate yourself can take a significant amount of time, and executors are personally liable for mistakes, including errors in tax returns and missed claims. Many people prefer to hand it to a specialist. Call us on 01233 659 796 for a clear, no-obligation conversation about how we can help.
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This factsheet is general information for England and Wales, not legal, tax or financial advice. Last reviewed: June 2026.
Registered number: 10816512.
Registered office: Squiggle Consult Ltd, Suite 2069, Letraset Building, Wotton Road, Ashford, Kent, TN23 6LN
Squiggle Consult Ltd. is a limited company registered in England and Wales.
