Research can be started with just a death certificate
When administering an estate on intestacy you may wish to consider establishing or verifying a family tree to ensure that entitled kin are included and unentitled kin are excluded.
Family structures continue to increase in complexity and there are several factors that can contribute to this:
- Multiple marriages
- Blended families
- Adoptions in and out of the family
- Informal name changes
- Cohabiting couples
Amateur research can lead to errors and misdistribution
Whilst genealogy can unearth interesting family history, our role as probate genealogists is to forensically utilise research skills in application of succession laws in order to establish all entitled kin.
We apply the relevant rules of intestacy and meticulously descend each family line to investigate all entitled heirs (or prove that the line dies out). We will contact each beneficiary and confirm their identity, regardless of where they reside.
We can commence enquiries into someone’s family tree with just the information contained on their death certificate. Our approach to genealogy is comprehensive – we prove everything where possible.
Our standard searches in the UK include:
- Marriage searches from ages 16 to 50
- Searches for children born to a marriage from the date of marriage to the woman’s age of 50
- Searches for a death from the date they were last known to be alive to their age 105
Along with this we'll also document all relevant events such as births, marriages and deaths as well as obtain probate papers to further verify the extent of the family tree.
We'll also consult relevant census returns, the 1939 Register and interview family members to ensure that our research is comprehensive. This approach allows us to secure fee estimates for missing beneficiary indemnity insurance to further protect Personal Representatives from any potential personal liability in the future.
- We'll provide an initial review of each matter we are presented with to form a research overview
- After our free review we'll provide a formal assessment and estimate of costs for the estate
- We won't commence any formal research unless instructed by a firm acting as or for a Personal Representative of the estate
- We charge on a time and expense basis and research costs related to the work involved, not the value of the estate
- We don't enter into contracts with individual potential beneficiaries
