Glossary of terms 

ADMINISTRATOR

A person (usually next of kin) who is authorised to deal with an estate when someone dies if they have left no Will

ASSENT

The transfer of a property from the deceased’s name to a beneficiary(s)

BENEFICIARY / BENEFICIARIES

A person or entity who benefits from the estate, Trust or Life Assurance policy

BEREAVEMENT

The action or condition of being bereaved

BOND OF CAUTION

A specific type of insurance policy designed to protect beneficiaries from incorrect distribution of an estate (in Scotland only)

CERTAINTY WILL SEARCH

National Will register officially recognised in the UK who hold a database of Wills or can carry out a search to locate a Will

CHATTEL

An item of property other than land or a house, including tangible goods such as jewellery or artwork etc)

CONFIRMATION FEES

The fee incurred to obtain Confirmation to administer an estate in Scotland

CORONER

An official who holds inquests into violent, sudden, or suspicious deaths

DATE OF DEATH VALUATIONS

The fair market value of each underlying estate assets at the time of the deceased's death

DIGITAL LEGACY

Digital information that is left behind by someone once they have died including online accounts, digital currencies and digital subscriptions

ESTATE ACCOUNTS

A record of the assets and debts within an estate. Details the amounts received from the assets (or transferred) and the share each beneficiary(s) will inherit

ESTATE ADMINISTRATION

The process of handling a persons legal and tax affairs after they have died

EXECUTOR

The person named in the Will who is appointed to deal with an estate when someone dies

FAMILY TREE

Genealogical data presenting the generational makeup of a family

GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH

The tracing of an individual's ancestral history using historical records, both official and unofficial

GRANT OF REPRESENTATION (Confirmation in scotland)

A generic term for the document that the Probate Registry issues authorising the named Executor(s) or Administrator(s) to act on behalf of the estate

INCOME TAX

A tax imposed on individuals or entities that vary with respective income or profits and may be paid by the estate

INHERITANCE TAX

A tax on the estate (property, money and possessions) of someone who’s died

INSOLVENT ESTATE

An estate where the value of the assets is less than the debts left by the deceased.

INSTRUMENT / DEED OF VARIATION

This allows beneficiaries to rearrange or vary their entitlement. It can be used by any person who receives a gift under a Will to redirect their inheritance to another person

INTESTACY

There are specific rules that need to be followed, known as the Laws of Intestacy, for someone who has died without leaving a Will (intestate)

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

A legal document by which a person, the testator, expresses their wishes as to how their property and wealth are to be distributed at death

NEXT OF KIN

A person’s closest living relative or relatives

OVERSEAS ASSET REPATRIATION

The complex process of selling or transferring a shareholding or other asset (such as a property) from abroad to the UK for distribution

POST MORTEM

Otherwise known as an autopsy is the examination of a body after death

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Written authorisation to represent or act on someone’s behalf in private affairs

PROBATE REGISTRY

A part of the Court system which issues Grants of Representation which is a legal document by the Court giving person(s) the right to deal with the estate of a deceased person

RESEALS OF GRANT OF PROBATE

Required when the deceased lived overseas and/or owned assets overseas such as property, shares or bank accounts. It is required in order to deal with those assets

TAXABLE ESTATE

Is the total value of a deceased person's assets that are subject to taxation

TESTATOR OR TESTATRIX

A person who has made a Will

TITLE DEEDS

A legal deed or document constituting evidence of a right, especially to ownership of property

TRUST

The Trustees are the legal owners of the assets held in Trust. Their role is to deal with the assets according to the Trust Deed or the terms of the Trust that may be within a Will