People dying intestate in Great Leighs and throughout the jurisdiction of England and Wales continues to remain a significant problem with costs that are notably higher than those associated with having a valid Will. With this in mind, Laura Richardson considers some of the key issues linked to whether a prepaid funeral plan bought today will cover the real costs of your funeral in Braintree when the time comes . . .

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When someone dies without making a valid Will, it is called dying intestate. Many people assume that if your die without making a Will, your assets, belongings and cash are automatically handed over to your next of kin.

In actual fact, the assets are divided according to the laws of intestacy, and this may not be in accordance with the deceased’s wishes and thus leads to this discussion of the costs of dying intestate in Great Leighs or anywhere else within the jurisdiction of England and Wales.

On this basis, there is also a need to consider the issue of settling any outstanding debts in the event of someone dying intestate in Great Leighs or anywhere else within England and Wales’ jurisdiction. Therefore, in order to deal with the financial aspects of the estate of someone who has died intestate, it is necessary to apply to the Court in order to be appointed an Administrator for the deceased’s estate. This is because until this application is processed you will not be able to communicate, on behalf of the deceased, with companies such as utility companies, banks, mortgage providers, loan companies and so forth.

As a result,  these types of companies will continue to expect payment of bills. Should these payments not be made, these companies often have no option but to put debt collection proceedings in place, which can even include repossession of the deceased’s property. There have been many cases in which the appointment of the Administrator is not granted for many months, during which time late payment charges, and other such financial sanctions can be lawfully added to any debt owed by the deceased. This debt is then passed on to the heirs to settle!

A recent survey priced the loss to heirs at a staggering £9,700 should a loved one die intestate! (see The Telegraph ‘The Cost of Dying with an Outdated Wills is £9,700’)

So where exactly does this figure come from? The study claims that this figure is largely lost due to the difficulties in tracking down all of the deceased’s assets, therefore the family attempt to track down assets using professional companies which necessarily incurs fees, added to the fact that they may not be able to track down all assets, or bank accounts, meaning that these remain unknown about and thus unclaimed!

How can the costs associated with dying intestate in Great Leighs or anywhere else within the jurisdiction of England and Wales be avoided?

Quite simply, by making a valid Will!

With many options for Will making available it is important to ensure that your Will is valid in the eyes of the UK law. Andrew Douglas Wills and Legal Services offer simple, straightforward advice on making your Will, and we offer an initial consultation, free of charge, in order to discuss your needs and requirements.

If you have already made your Will, Andrew Douglas Wills and Legal Services advise that you regularly review it in order to make sure that your Will always provides an accurate account of your wishes and includes all of your assets.

With this in mind, if you would like any further information with regard to how you can go about ensuring that your Will is still valid, or to enquire about making a Will, contact us at Andrew Douglas Wills and Legal Services via www.andrewdouglaswills.co.uk today as we are here to help you.

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