Wills, Probate and Estates

The seventh edition of Wills, Probate and Estates has been written to provide trainee solicitors with a clear and thorough understanding of current best practice in the area of wills, trusts, probate, and the administration of estates. The manual takes into account all recent changes in legislation. The book outlines the basic elements of a will, familiarising trainees with the common law and statutory background, and enabling them to draft wills and simple trusts in accordance with statute and their clients' informed instructions. It then outlines how to obtain the necessary grant of representation on the death of a client, either with or without a will, and how to administer such an estate, taking into account the various obligations on the personal representative. Wills, Probate and Estates provides succinct and practical advice, provided by solicitors for solicitors, tackling questions of practice and procedure that are of central importance not only for students on the Professional Practice Course, but also to practitioners who deal with any area of wills, trusts, probate, or the administration of estates.

1 - Introduction to will drafting
2 - Basic elements of a will and mutual wills
3 - The legal personal representative
4 - Will drafting - the rights of spouses/civil partners, cohabitants, and children
5 - Instructions, attendance, and execution
6 - Administration of estates: probate practice and procedure
7 - Extracting a grant of probate
8 - Extracting a grant of administration intestate
9 - Extracting a grant of administration with will annexed
10 - Second and subsequent grants (de bonis non grants)
11 - Non-contentious applications (either to the Probate Officer or to the Court)
12 - Administration after the grant has issued
13 - Beneficiaries including: spouses/civil partners, cohabitants, and children of the deceased
14 - Obligations, duties, and claims on the estate
15 - Distributing the estate, vesting of property, and finalising matters