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After losing a loved one, the last thing anybody wants is to deal with complexities around their last wishes or their Will.

There can be a lot to take in and think about, with decisions to be made, but by working with a trusted adviser, the process can be made much less stressful.

Historically only solicitors have been able to legally manage someone’s estate after their death.  However, legislation has changed and some accountants are also able to deal with uncontested wills.  Solicitors often need to go back and forth to accountants to get everything sorted, so it makes sense to use an accountant who has experience in valuations, tax and the form filling which comes with probate.

The key benefit of using David Allen Chartered Accountants is that the process of winding up a deceased person’s estate always involves numbers and sometimes involves tax.  We will already have an in depth knowledge of your financial affairs and if you have a business, will be familiar with the nature of it and any plans you have for succession.

It is also likely that we are already dealing with a wide range of your personal financial matters which may include estate and tax planning as well as trust management.

Drafting wills and dealing with probate on death is a natural extension to this service, as we will have the underlying information about your financial affairs readily available.

More often than not, an accountant is already familiar with the individual or family finances, including their portfolio, tax affairs and HMRC dealings, which means they require less information up front.

As with many professionals, accountants develop close client relationships as they deal with annual compliance and ad hoc advisory matters for their clients.  A good working relationship will have developed with an accumulation of knowledge which comprises not only a client’s financial affairs but often their personal wishes and preferences.

The team at David Allen will therefore be able to translate all of these facts and wishes into the preparation of a client’s will and dealing with probate with relative ease and cost efficiencies.

Accountants accredited to undertake probate work are required to comply with the Probate Regulations, to ensure the firm and authorised employees provide a high quality service and comply with the ICAEW’s code of ethics.

Trudi Dickinson, Wills and Estate Specialist at David Allen said: “Probate is always done at a time when emotions are at the surface due to such a recent loss, so by working with us, we can help to alleviate some of that stress.”

“By using clear language and ensuring we are on hand to answer any complex questions which crop up, we can smooth out what can be a difficult process.  Personal relationships are so important to us and by getting to know you and your wishes, we can make sure we get the best outcome for everybody.”

To find out more about probate services at David Allen, click here.