When a family member or dear friend dies you
may not only have to deal with your feelings of
loss you may also have to wind up their
financial affairs. This may involve the
obtaining of a grant of probate (where there is a
will) or a grant of letters of administration
(where there is no will). The grant is your
authority to deal with the financial affairs.
Sometimes no grant is required. If you have
never been involved in the death of a loved one
before then this can be a very difficult time.
Here at Dixon Stewart we deal with the
financial consequences of death every day and
consequently any work we do for you will be
carried out quickly and efficiently so that you
can have access to the monies and investments
of your loved one as soon as reasonably
possible.
Furthermore if your loved one made their will
with us we will often know and remember
them and this always helps when you are
dealing with your own losses.
Other organisations are now trying to deal with
that work themselves. We think that is very
strange as we concentrate on what we do well
and do not try to be funeral directors,
accountants or bankers. Some funeral directors
(not the private family firms but the larger
organisations) pass a list of the next of kin of
deceased persons to others so that the next of
kin may be contacted and persuaded to pass the
financial or probate work elsewhere. This
“cold calling” can be very distressing for those
already grieving.
Some banks when you call in to notify them of
the death of a loved one persuade you to
receive a home visit from their representative.
The purpose of that home visit is to persuade
you to pass work to their appointed company.
You will be told that they will work quicker
than your solicitor and that they will be
cheaper than your solicitor. They make these
assertions without checking the facts. If you
agree for the work to be done by them it will be
passed to a company outside of the local area
and you will become a name and a number on
the telephone. There is no personal touch. No
ability to pop into the office and see the person
who is dealing with your work.
I recently met a client who had been persuaded
by her bank to let their representative obtain
probate to her husband’s estate. They told her
they would be quicker than us and cheaper.
Untrue. They took all of her financial papers
away and forwarded them to their company in
the West Midlands. She realised pretty quickly
that she had made a mistake. It took us nearly
3 months to get the papers back. It transpired
that their charges would have been twice as
much as ours.
Our initial advices will always be given
without any charge to you. They are part of the
service we at Dixon Stewart pride ourselves on
providing. Those initial advices enable you to
be fully informed and to decide whether you
wish us to do anything further to assist you or
whether you are content to deal with matters
yourself. If you decide we are going to assist
you further then we will tell you what our
charges will be and how those charges are to be
paid. Those charges will be fixed. There are no
hidden extras. The charges will cover all the
work.
Remember the bankers. They have failed at
banking. Do not let them in these matters.
Contact Dixon Stewart for free advice without
any obligation. We are friendly, efficient and
right on your doorstep. We will visit you at
home if you prefer.
Jenny Eley 01425 621515
jenny@dixonstewart.com
Helen Stewart 01425 279222
helen@dixonstewart.com
Sue Wheeler 01425 279222
suew@dixonstewart.com
Dixon Stewart Solicitors 72 Station Road New Milton BH25 6LF
PROBATE
When a family member or dear friend dies you
may not only have to deal with your feelings of
loss you may also have to wind up their
financial affairs. This may involve the
obtaining of a grant of probate (where there is a
will) or a grant of letters of administration
(where there is no will). The grant is your
authority to deal with the financial affairs.
Sometimes no grant is required. If you have
never been involved in the death of a loved one
before then this can be a very difficult time.
Here at Dixon Stewart we deal with the
financial consequences of death every day and
consequently any work we do for you will be
carried out quickly and efficiently so that you
can have access to the monies and investments
of your loved one as soon as reasonably
possible.
Furthermore if your loved one made their will
with us we will often know and remember
them and this always helps when you are
dealing with your own losses.
Other organisations are now trying to deal with
that work themselves. We think that is very
strange as we concentrate on what we do well
and do not try to be funeral directors,
accountants or bankers. Some funeral directors
(not the private family firms but the larger
organisations) pass a list of the next of kin of
deceased persons to others so that the next of
kin may be contacted and persuaded to pass the
financial or probate work elsewhere. This
“cold calling” can be very distressing for those
already grieving.
Some banks when you call in to notify them of
the death of a loved one persuade you to
receive a home visit from their representative.
The purpose of that home visit is to persuade
you to pass work to their appointed company.
You will be told that they will work quicker
than your solicitor and that they will be
cheaper than your solicitor. They make these
assertions without checking the facts. If you
agree for the work to be done by them it will be
passed to a company outside of the local area
and you will become a name and a number on
the telephone. There is no personal touch. No
ability to pop into the office and see the person
who is dealing with your work.
I recently met a client who had been persuaded
by her bank to let their representative obtain
probate to her husband’s estate. They told her
they would be quicker than us and cheaper.
Untrue. They took all of her financial papers
away and forwarded them to their company in
the West Midlands. She realised pretty quickly
that she had made a mistake. It took us nearly
3 months to get the papers back. It transpired
that their charges would have been twice as
much as ours.
Our initial advices will always be given
without any charge to you. They are part of the
service we at Dixon Stewart pride ourselves on
providing. Those initial advices enable you to
be fully informed and to decide whether you
wish us to do anything further to assist you or
whether you are content to deal with matters
yourself. If you decide we are going to assist
you further then we will tell you what our
charges will be and how those charges are to be
paid. Those charges will be fixed. There are no
hidden extras. The charges will cover all the
work.
Remember the bankers. They have failed at
banking. Do not let them in these matters.
Contact Dixon Stewart for free advice without
any obligation. We are friendly, efficient and
right on your doorstep. We will visit you at
home if you prefer.
Jenny Eley 01425 621515
jenny@dixonstewart.com
Helen Stewart 01425 279222
helen@dixonstewart.com
Sue Wheeler 01425 279222
suew@dixonstewart.com
Dixon Stewart Solicitors 72 Station Road New Milton BH25 6LF