Time for probate?

[Legaleaglenot]

How long is it taking at the moment?

I put the IHT forms in at the beginning of June, paid the IHT, and then applied for probate end of June. HMRC sent me a request for more IHT today so I phoned to query — they’d made a mistake. They are sending the forms to the probate office today.

They said up to 8 weeks now — is it really this long? What does the process entail? I find this whole thing totally obscure and mysterious and frustrating.

Mine has thus far taken 14 months.
The actual probate has now been granted, but I've been told the release of assets could take some time still.
I am sole beneficiary, there was a will. Everything was straightforward.

Aaargh that’s awful! Why is that? What’s the complication?

It can't possibly be that complicated. It's a series of administrative processes, surely?

Because Covid is the answer we've been getting.
Every time I answer this question on here, loads of people say "nooooo, mine took 45 minutes" etc, but trust me, I've been waiting since last June.

I sent my application for probate to the probate office in February (and was told 8 weeks) and still haven’t received probate. All IHT forms had been done beforehand and HMRC had agreed figures.

I just AS'd some recent threads and it really seems it can be anything from a few days to a year or more.

I wonder what they actually do?

We are still waiting since October 2020.
Excuse have been covid and heavy workload.

Probate solicitor here 🙋🏻‍♀️

It’s an 8 week turnaround at best at the moment. Longer if your application is stopped for any reason.

Their reasons are that around the same time Covid hit, they started closing their regional offices and then Covid meant working from home and they have just never recovered from the backlog.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/form-pa1p-apply-for-probate-the-deceased-had-a-will

Might be useful?

Does Inheritance Tax affect it? Our solicitor faffed and faffed about, but when the forms actually went in, probate took about six weeks. The estate was below the threshold, though so no tax was due.

No idea. But we are hit by the inheritance tax thing. So maybe?

My Dad died in March this year. I think we applied for probate in early May and just received it at the start of this month.

So yes, I would think that must have been about 8 weeks. My mother's financial adviser sorted it out for us at a very reasonable price.

I’ve paid the IHT that is due now. There will be more once the house is sold but that can’t happen until probate is granted.

Oh god. Not good news. I put it in for both my parents last week and hoping that it goes through smoothly. I was relying on 8 weeks as that is what it said on the website….

The really confusing thing — in case this helps anyone — is that you calculate, and pay, the inheritance tax, and then you apply for probate after 20 working days. And then you wait!

It varies. At one point it was about 13 weeks but once the application goes in, it is getting quicker now. Most of ours are taking about a month.

Slightly off topic, but I hope you guys will understand, I feel odd asking but its a practical question.

I've inherited a percentage of an estate and have been officially informed. At what stage does the executor advise you the approx figure? We are making some huge life changes, some of which we might chose to do differently when we know what the future may bring. The inheritance could be anything from a few thousand pounds to a substantial gift depending on investments and end of life care costs. The executor has been waiting for a response from the bank for nearly 2 months (covid delays)

Whatever I have been gifted I am honoured, I loved the person very much and still haven't processed losing them, this is purely a practical question due to the changes we are putting in place now following the damage covid did to us financially.

@Redcherries can you ask the executor for a ballpark figure? We are in limbo with mil estate, but as executors have a good idea of how much each person will receive. As yet not exact figures, but within a couple of thousand pounds.
Might be worth asking, and also asking how you will inherit, given you have life changing decisions to make. I’m thinking cash inheritance easier to utilise than something you have to sell - such as land to realise the money.

n@Redcherries who is the executor? Family member or solicitor? If the latter I've a feeling they may not tell you until probate has been granted as the figures are provisional until then (even if, in practice, all the calculations have been checked and verified). If a family member, and someone sympathetic, they may be able to give you a rough idea. Bank accounts etc are frozen after someone dies, and the rules on inheritance tax are pretty clear, so there shouldn't be too much ambiguity, but if the executor is being cautious they may not want to say too much before probate.

Thank you @Bargebill19 and @Legaleaglenot .

The executor is a very valued close friend of my relative, she's an absolutely fantastic lady and very kind and practical. I suspect she is waiting for the confirmation from the bank, they are in a country that is slightly behind us in opening up and delays are created by this. She has mentioned each time we've spoken that she is still waiting. I think I will wait for that and hopefully we will have an idea of a rough amount then.

Its really hard isn't it, trying to deal with practicalities on top of grief. Makes me feel a bit shameful, but we need to be practical with what we are doing right now.

There is no property but likely shares and pensions (theres different sorts of investment bits to consider in their country). We think probate will take at least a year and all conversations have been open and we have a good relationship, she's become our friend too.

Sorry to piggy bank your thread @Legaleaglenot , it felt like a safe place to post. I hope your probate moves through efficiently now.

And sorry for a slow reply, mums net keeps logging me out!

That’s actually not very long where tax is payable. It’s a bit pot luck with the probate registry as to how quickly they deal with it. If you sent the application at the end of June it is still early days. Though the probate registry have been much faster of late ( issuing the grant in a couple of weeks in some cases)

Our probate was put on stop second week in March. We've rung twice a week for an update and was told they are working to those put on stop in early March now. Probate granted today.