paralegal blog | Law Careers

The aim for the beginning part of this year for me is to finish a few of the probates that are nearing an end.  The main outstanding issues being the Estate Accounts and also for beneficiaries to decide where they want monies sent or where possible to be reinvested with the companies already holding the funds but just being transferred into their own names. 

In the past month I have learned so much about the various ways of holding investments from ISAs to ICVC’s.  It has all been highly confusing but fingers crossed we are nearly there with the beneficiaries finally making their decisions on how they want their shares to be dealt with.

Once the decision has been made of course then comes the fun of the paperwork!  No word of a lie one investment needed over 7 different forms or ID or confirmation to be able to open the investment and as usual with these things you are asked the same question but in 7 different ways!  I wonder how much time would be saved if the forms only asked for the one piece of information once??

Regarding the Estate Accounts the main problem I have come up against is with the various share registrars not being willing to provide us with information.  I think that as a matter of course I will now ask the Executors, where there are shareholdings involved, to sign a letter of authority at the beginning to authorise the registrars to provide us with any information we ask for. 

There seems generally to be a small issue with dividend payments once a person has been registered as having passed away and this is causing huge delays in the finalising of accounts, for the smallest pieces of information.

Let’s hope it gets warmer and London starts to work again!!