Practical guidance from Simon Jenkins, Director at Curtis Legal.
Wondering if you need a probate solicitor? Learn when professional help is essential, when DIY works and what 2026 fees look like in plain English.
Read more →A named executor can formally decline the role by renouncing before intermeddling. Learn how to use Probate Registry Form PA15 to step down and what happens to the estate.
Read more →Missing the deadline to contest a will or make an Inheritance Act claim can bar your case entirely. This guide explains all key time limits and what to do if you are late.
Read more →The Inheritance Act 1975 lets spouses, cohabitants, children and dependants claim from an estate. Learn who qualifies, what the court considers, and how to make a claim.
Read more →There are five legal grounds for challenging a will in England and Wales. This guide explains each ground — from lack of capacity to improper execution — and the evidence needed.
Read more →Cohabiting partners have no automatic right to inherit under English intestacy law. Find out who inherits instead, how the Inheritance Act 1975 may help, and how to protect your partner.
Read more →The intestacy rules give children significant rights but with important conditions, including a statutory trust for minors. Learn how children inherit when there is no will.
Read more →When someone dies without a will in England and Wales, the intestacy rules decide who inherits. Learn the priority order, what spouses and children receive, and how to apply.
Read more →Joint ownership affects inheritance tax in different ways depending on whether assets are held as joint tenants or tenants in common. This guide explains the key IHT rules.
Read more →IHT must be paid before probate is granted but estate funds are frozen without it. Our guide explains the Direct Payment Scheme, instalment option, and probate loans.
Read more →