Inheritance What is Probate
Probate is a term which is used when people talk of applying for the right to deal with a deceased person’s affairs. It is in place to ensure that the executors carry out their task correctly. There are different situations which may arise with probate, the two main situations being whether the deceased has left a will or not.
If the deceased has left a will then an executor may be named to deal with their affairs after their death. The executor must apply for what is known as a ‘grant of probate’ from the probate registry. This is a legal document which confirms their authority to deal with the deceased’s assets.
If the deceased has not left a will then a close relative can apply to the probate registry in order to deal with the deceased’s assets. They must apply for a legal document which is known as a ‘grant of letters of administration’ and if the grant is given they become ‘administrators’.