If someone dies without a Will, it is referred to as dying “intestate”. If you are unsure of the existence of a Will, or know it exists but cannot find it, you must do your best to try and locate one. The absence of a Will can have a big impact on estate administration.

Now that you found the Will, you need to confirm the Will is valid. A Will needs to be valid to carry out the wishes of the deceased. Typically for Wills to be valid they require signatures of two witnesses (not a named estate representative, spouse, or beneficiary), the date, and the testator’s signature at the end of the Will.

The technical language that is often used in the estate administration context can be tricky to understand.

What happens to someone’s Facebook account when they pass away? With the closure of a Facebook account, the deceased’s account can be removed or memorialized.

Proof of death is required to deal with the majority of estate matters. Proof can come in various forms. Below is an explanation of the types of proof of death, some examples of when it may be required, and where they can be obtained.

Being named an executor or administrator of an estate when a loved one passes can be an overwhelming and stressful situation. You may not have the slightest idea where to start, and it can feel like a mountain of work ahead of you.

It can be difficult to know where to start after someone dies. We know because we’ve been there. To help you get started, we’ve created a helpful list of the executor tasks ahead.