‘How can I make life after death less stressful?’
Your questions about business
Dear Rocio,
How can we take some of the stress out of “sadmin”?
Name and address supplied
Rocio says: Writing a will, registering for power of attorney and applying for probate are not particularly enjoyable tasks. But they are very important things to get right. The saying is that the best time to write a will was yesterday.
Yet up to 60 per cent of people don’t have one. It means the distribution of one’s estate after you die might become messy and fraught. Without a will, it will be divided up in line with the rules of intestacy – meaning you have little control over who receives what.
The recommended course of action is to choose a reputable service to help you write a will. It isn’t enough to write down where you would like your assets to go and presume that is how it’ll play out. A will that is not properly signed and witnessed is invalid.
A will is also used to have a say over who should look after your dependents. If they’re under 18, you can appoint legal guardians. If you don’t it’ll be up to the courts to decide, who may choose a person you don’t agree with. You can access free information about will writing at which.co.uk/money.
For peace of mind that somebody you trust can legally make decisions on your behalf, you can appoint a power of attorney.
For those chosen to be an attorney, registering and then using that power with financial institutions is often easier said than done. Which? research found nearly three in 10 of 1,530 registered attorneys in a Which? survey faced difficulties trying to use their power with banks or building societies.
Consumers should be able to easily contact companies. Everybody should be able to get the answers they need without long waits, be kept informed and treated fairly, with empathy.
Dealing with probate after a loved one has died has also become more difficult. HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) announced last month its probate helpline’s opening hours will be restricted for the next three months due to a cases backlog that is already causing year-long delays.
Lines are now open between 9am and 1pm, Monday to Friday. Those calling after 1pm are directed to HMCTS’s webchat. This hardly inspires confidence.
A survey by inheritance advisers Step found nearly seven in 10 said the key factor behind a delay in their probate application was due to probate registry errors, while three-fifths said delays were due to a lack of senior staff to review cases.
Companies and agencies can’t make these processes fun, but they can take steps to ensure they aren’t responsible for adding unnecessary stress to an already demanding responsibility.
Rocio Concha is the director of policy and advocacy at Which?. To have your question featured on this page, email business@inews.co.uk