Welcome to the Wills & Probate Department at Andrew Begg & Co.

Wills & Probate

Wills
If you think you have nothing to leave in a Will, think again!  Many people pass on without making one, not realising that any property (including cars, bank accounts and shares) can all be included.  A Will enables you to specify precisely what you want to happen to your possessions and gives you peace of mind and your family security.  In your Will, you can also say whether or not (for instance) you want to be cremated or buried, thus saving your family from agonising over a subject which is often never discussed.

If you are domiciled in Jersey and are married and/or have children, Jersey Law requires you to leave certain portions of your personal estate to your spouse and children - whereas you are entitled to leave "realty" (a house or land) to whoever you wish.

 

Sometimes it is desirable to leave a house to one person (e.g. one's children) but with a life interest to another (e.g. one's spouse).  The wording of a Will is extremely important because different words, and even different punctuation, can lead to different interpretation.

 Please see the 'Online Shop' if you wish to begin the process of making a Will. Alternatively, send an email to wills@begg-law.com or see the 'Contact Us' page for different methods of contact.


Probate

 

When somebody dies, it is necessary to arrange for the transfer of their property to their heirs (where there is no Will) or to the "beneficiaries" (if there is a Will).  In Jersey, the usual practice is to have two separate Wills: one dealing with personal estate (e.g. money, shares, furniture etc.) and one dealing with real property (i.e. land and buildings).  A Will of realty needs to be registered in the Public Registry in order to transfer a house or land to a beneficiary named in a Will.  In the case of a Will dealing with personal estate, it is necessary to make an application for Probate (or where there is no Will, an application for Letters of Administration).  The deceased's relatives usually have quite enough to contend with without becoming involved in the "nitty-gritty" of such applications.  We can attend to these formalities on your behalf.

If you wish to contact Andrew Begg & Co. in relation to a matter of probate, please visit the 'Contact Us' page for details.