Estates, Wills and Probate
Probate and estate administration.
Situations I Assist With
- Preparing a will
- Applying for a grant of probate or letters of administration, with or without a will annexed
- Administering an estate once a grant has issued
- An original will that cannot be found
- An executor or administrator who has died before finishing the administration
- A beneficiary's share that has lapsed
- Family members who disagree over who should take the grant
- Contentious probate proceedings in the High Court, where a dispute cannot be resolved by agreement
What the Work Involves
The work spans preparing a will, applying for a grant of probate or letters of administration, and administering the estate once a grant has issued, including collecting and valuing assets, dealing with debts and taxes, transferring land to beneficiaries, and preparing estate accounts. Where a dispute cannot be resolved by agreement, it extends to contentious probate proceedings in the High Court. Estates in Barbados are governed mainly by the Succession Act, Cap. 249, and the procedure for obtaining a grant depends on whether there is a valid will and who has priority to apply.