Small estates worth £36,000 or less

A small estate is one where the total value of everything the person owned is £36,000 or less, before deducting any debts such as funeral bills. For these estates, the sheriff clerk can prepare the inventory at an appointment, and the procedure is simpler and cheaper than for a larger estate.

Do you need Confirmation at all?

Often not. Many banks release balances without Confirmation under their own procedures, and a house owned jointly with a survivorship destination passes automatically to the other owner. Before applying, we check each asset and tell you honestly whether Confirmation is needed. Our guide to bank limits without Confirmation sets out what the main banks will release, and our guide to joint bank accounts after a death explains why money in a joint account may still belong to the estate.

What we do

• Check whether the estate really is a small estate, including interest to the date of death
• Find out which banks and organisations will release money without Confirmation
• Gather the values and paperwork the sheriff clerk at the right sheriff court will need
• Prepare the application, or come with you to the sheriff clerk appointment
• Collect in the money, pay the debts and funeral, and pay out the beneficiaries if you want us to

Small estates with no will

For a small estate, the person entitled to inherit can be confirmed as executor through the small estate procedure, without a separate court petition, and no bond of caution is needed where the sheriff clerk prepares the inventory. That makes the process much simpler than for a larger estate with no will.

Keeping costs in proportion

With a small estate, every pound spent on fees is a pound less for the family. We agree the scope of the work with you at the start, so you only pay for the help you need. If you are comfortable doing most of it yourself, our advice for executors service may be all you need.