Probate means taking care of a dead person’s estate.

The probate involves:

• valuing their property and other assets
• paying any leftover debts and mortgages
• paying Inheritance Tax (IHT) if the estate is over the IHT threshold (£325,000 in most cases)
• distributing whatever is left of the deceased’s wealth to any beneficiaries as inheritance.

The executor of the will usually does the probate if the deceased left a will and named someone. Otherwise, the beneficiaries (often the family) can appoint a lawyer or another person to do the probate.