Murray Beith Murray LLP is a leading Scottish private client law firm.
For 175 years we have specialised in meeting the legal, financial and administrative needs of individuals and families, family trusts, charities and private companies.
Dealing with the estate of a loved one is never easy, and many people wish to understand how long the process might take. However, it can be difficult to put a timescale on what is a very complicated process - unique to each individual. Our years of experience mean we can advise our clients as to how they might make the process of winding up an estate more straightforward. In this article, we look at some of the key factors affecting executry timescales and provide practical advice.
You may have heard the term ‘Bond of Caution’ and have concerns about whether you might need one to wind up the estate of a loved one. When a person passes away, executors do not automatically have the authority to distribute the assets in an estate. Instead, they must obtain Confirmation (known as Probate in many other countries) first. In certain circumstances, a Bond of Caution may be required for the Sheriff Court to grant Confirmation. In this article, we take a look at what a Bond of Caution is, what it does and when it may be necessary.
If someone close to you has passed away, you may be concerned about money that has been left in their bank account. We understand that this may be a very stressful time for you and that additional financial or practical concerns may be causing you distress. In this article, we address money left in bank accounts after someone has passed away and the circumstances which mean you can access and withdraw such funds.
If someone close to you has passed away, the last thing you may be thinking about is how to deal with their social media accounts. However, for many, photos, videos and posts on a deceased’s social media accounts can be a source of comfort through the grieving process. Eventually, you will need to consider how best to deal with these social media accounts and other online accounts, sometimes known as the deceased’s ‘digital legacy’. In this article, we look at your options for handling a loved one’s social media accounts after they have passed away.
If you hold a bank account jointly with your spouse, civil partner, or another person, you may be concerned about what will happen should one of you pass away. Will you still have access to the account? Do you own all of the funds in the account? What forms part of the deceased’s estate? We understand that this may already be a difficult time for you, so in this article, we set out simply what happens to a joint bank account under Scottish Law when one party has passed away. Please note that different rules apply under the law of England and Wales to joint accounts held there.
