This site is for people handling the admin that comes with the big moments in later life: a parent’s death, being named as an executor, or putting your own affairs in order. Everything is written in plain English, and nothing assumes you’ve done it before.
If someone has just died
You don’t need to sort everything this week. Get the free First 14 Days checklist below. It covers what has to happen now and what can safely wait.
If you’re an executor in England or Wales
Most estates follow the same six stages, in this order:
- Register the death and tell the people who need to know
- Find out what the estate owns and owes
- Work out whether Inheritance Tax is due
- Apply for probate, if the estate needs it
- Collect the money in and pay the debts
- Prepare the estate accounts and pay the beneficiaries
The articles and tools on this site follow those stages. See the executor tools.
If you want to leave things in order
The family organisers work wherever you live. They record what your family would need to find: accounts, policies, where passwords are kept, key contacts and your wishes. See the organisers.
What this site can’t do
Everything here is general guidance for England and Wales, not legal or financial advice. If the estate is complicated, the family disagrees, or you’re unsure of your position, talk to a solicitor.
Get the free First 14 Days checklist