Obtaining Grant of Representation Flashcards
what is the effect of GOR?
- GOR proves PR has title to D’s assets to sell them, pay liabilities etc
what are the preliminary steps?
Step 1 – check the validity of the will
Step 2 – the beneficiaries
Step 3 – assessing the estate
explain ‘Step 1 – check the validity of the will’
A solicitor must check that it:
o Is the last will of T;
o Has not been validly revoked;
o Is executed in accordance with s9 WA 1837; and
o It includes an attestation clause
what will happen if the will is not valid?
- If the will is not valid, GLA will need to be applied for and not GOP
explain ‘Step 2 – the beneficiaries’
A solicitor must:
o Consider entitlement of Bs i.e. under the will (have any gifts failed?) and IR
o GDPR requirements inform Bs that they are holding their data, the purpose it is being used and their rights as data subjects
what information must the PRs give a solicitor and why?
PRs must provide the solicitor with details of any assets and liabilities
o Property which does not pass under the will or IR is irrelevant
Assets will be valued to determine the size of the estate and IHT liability
what property can be dealt with without a grant?
o Court order > the court can order a payment be made to B (see: limitations)
o Physical cash
o Chattels i.e. any moveable property
- If the estate only consists of these assets, they need not obtain a GOR
when the court can make an order for payment to be made to Bs without GOR, how is this limited?
The payment cannot exceed £5k.
The institution can refuse, meaning the PR will need GOR.
Only relevant to the following:
* Money in National Savings Bank, Trustee Savings Bank, building societies or friendly societies (no other accounts)
* National savings certificates and premium bonds
re: excepted estate
explain the position regarding the IHT400 with excepted and non-excepted states
- If it is an excepted estate no IHT400 necessary
- Is not an excepted estate IHT400 is necessary
re: excepted estate
to what deaths do these rules apply?
- This applies to deaths on or after 1 Jan 2022
re: excepted estate
what is important to remember when determining whether an estate is excepted?
- NRB = currently £325k, however this can be increase if a spouse/CP inherits some/all of their NRB
re: excepted estate
what are the categories of excepted estate?
- small estate
- exempt estate
- non-domiciled estate
re: excepted estate
what is a specified transfer?
give an example
- Specified transfer = chargeable transfer of cash, chattels, tangible moveable property, quoted shares or security, interest in land (unless it is subject to trust) made 7 years before death
o i.e. if someone transfers unquoted shares 7 years before death, the estate will not be excepted
re: excepted estate
what is a specified exempt transfer?
transfers of value years prior to death which are exempt:
o Transfers between spouses/CPs
o Gifts to charities
o Gifts to political parties
o Gifts to housing associations
o Maintenance funds for historic buildings etc
o Employee trusts
re: excepted estate
what are the requirements for a small estate?
Requirement for a small excepted estate:
o D must have been domiciled in the UK
o The estate (which consists of property passing under will, intestacy, nomination or survivorship) does not consist of more than:
£250k in settled property (i.e. property held on trust); and
£100k in property represented outside of the UK
o D made no chargeable transfers in the 7 years before their death, other than specified transfers where the aggregate value (ignoring business and property relief) which does not exceed £250k, and
o The aggregate of the following does not exceed their NRB:
The gross value of the estate, plus
The value of any specified transfers, plus
The value of any specified exempt transfers
re: excepted estate (small estate)
what is the cap on the estate value?
The estate (which consists of property passing under will, intestacy, nomination or survivorship) does not consist of more than:
£250k in settled property (i.e. property held on trust); and
£100k in property represented outside of the UK
re: excepted estate
what items are aggregated?
The aggregate of the following does not exceed their NRB:
The gross value of the estate, plus
The value of any specified transfers, plus
The value of any specified exempt transfers
re: excepted estate
what is the decision tree for small estates?
If the answer is no the all of the below, it is an excepted estate:
1. Did D live outside the UK? NO
2. Does the estate have more than £250k trust property? NO
3. Does the estate have more than £100k outside the UK? NO
4. Has D made any lifetime transfers? NO
5. Has D made specified transfers with an aggregate value of over £250k? NO
6. Does the aggregate gross value, specified transfers and exempt transfers exceed the NRB? NO
re: excepted estates
what are the requirements for an exempt estate?
Requirements for an exempt estate:
o D must have been domiciled in the UK
o The estate (which consists of property passing under will, intestacy, nomination or survivorship) does not consist of more than:
£1m total amount of trust property (inc. exempt amounts);
Of that, not more than £250k of chargeable trust property; and
£100k in property represented outside of the UK
o D made no chargeable transfers in the 7 years before their death, other than specified transfers where the aggregate value (ignoring business and property relief) which does not exceed £250k, and
o The aggregate of the following does not exceed £3m:
The gross value of the estate, plus
The value of any specified transfers, plus
The value of any specified exempt transfers
o Where there is property passing to a charity/spouse/CP after deduction of liabilities, the aggregate of the following does not exceed their NRB (which may have been increase:
The net value of the estate, plus
The value of any specified transfers, plus
The value of any specified exempt transfers
re: excepted estates - exempt estate
what is the estate value cap?
The estate (which consists of property passing under will, intestacy, nomination or survivorship) does not consist of more than:
£1m total amount of trust property (inc. exempt amounts);
Of that, not more than £250k of chargeable trust property; and
£100k in property represented outside of the UK
re: excepted estates - exempt estates
what items are aggregated?
The aggregate of the following does not exceed £3m:
The gross value of the estate, plus
The value of any specified transfers, plus
The value of any specified exempt transfers
re: excepted estates - exempt estates
what is the position where property is passing to a spouse/CP?
Where there is property passing to a charity/spouse/CP after deduction of liabilities, the aggregate of the following does not exceed their NRB (which may have been increase:
The net value of the estate, plus
The value of any specified transfers, plus
The value of any specified exempt transfers
re: excepted estates
- exempt estates
what is the decision tree?
If the answer is no the all of the below, it is an exempt estate:
1. Did D live outside the UK? NO
2. Does the estate have more than £1m trust property? NO
3. Does the estate have more than £250k chargeable trust property? NO
4. Does the estate have more than £100k outside the UK? NO
5. Has D made any lifetime transfers? NO
6. Has D made specified transfers with an aggregate value of over £250k? NO
7. Does the aggregate gross value, specified transfers and exempt transfers exceed £3m? NO
8. Where property is passing to a spouse/CP/charity, does the aggregate net value, specified transfers and exempt transfers exceed their NRB? NO
re: excepted estates
explain category 3
non-domiciled estates:
D was never domiciled in the UK and owner limited assets in the UK
re: paying IHT
when is this stage relevant?
- This stage is only relevant if IHT is payable before GOR can be obtained
re: paying IHT
when does IHT not need to be paid pre-GOR?
if the estate is excepted
re: paying IHT
if IHT is payable, what must the PRs do before applying for GOR?
- If IHT is payable, before submitting IHT400, a reference number will need to be applied for using schedule IHT422
These documents will then need to be sent to HMRC:
o IHT400 (or IHT401 for those domiciled outside the UK);
o Relevant schedules i.e. schedule 403 for any lifetime transfers
re: paying IHT
what is form IHT400?
- IHT400 is an inventory of D’s assets and liabilities. It is used to claim tax relief and calculating IHT payable.
re: paying IHT
when must IHT400 be completed?
- IHT400 should be completed within 12 months of the end of the month in which D died (usually done within 6 to comply with IHT time limits on interest)
re: paying IHT
once IHT400 has been completed, when can GOR be applied for?
- Must wait 20 days from sending IHT400 until applying for GOR, otherwise the application will be blocked
re: paying IHT
what is the timescale for paying IHT? what is the consequence of late payment?
IHT is due at the end of the 6 month following D’s death and before obtaining GOR i.e. DOD 10 Jan, IHT payable by 31 July. Late payments attract interest.
The 1st payment on the instalment option, IHT on a PET and any additional IHT on an LCT need to be paid within 6 months, but not before GOR
re: paying IHT
what is the timescale for the 1st payment on the instalment option?
The 1st payment on the instalment option, IHT on a PET and any additional IHT on an LCT need to be paid within 6 months, but not before GOR
re: paying IHT - instalment option
how many payments are there?
- 10 yearly payments 1st payment due is due at the end of the 6 month following D’s death, the remaining 9 payments are made yearly after that
re: paying IHT - instalment option
how is the amount payable apportioned?
- IHT payable is apportioned using the estate rate
re: paying IHT - instalment option
when is this available?
The above is in relation to IHT payable by PRs on the death estate.
* The instalment option is also available to the donee of a PET and where there is additional IHT on an LCT if:
o The person benefitting from the transfer is paying the IHT; and
o They retained ownership from the date of transfer from DOD
- Only available on certain types of property, i.e.:
o Land of any description (inc. properties)
o Business or an interest or a business
o Quoted or unquoted shares which gave D control of the company immediate before death
o Unquoted shares which do not give control, if either:
They are at least worth £20k and 10% of the company’s holding;
HMRC is satisfied IHT cannot be paid in one sum without hardship;
IHT on all instalment property amounts to at least 20% of the total IHT
re: paying IHT - instalment option
what is the position regarding interest?
- Interest on land interest is payable on the amount of IHT outstanding from the previous year (i.e. £10k IHT. 2020 £1k paid. Interest on £9k added to ‘21)
- All other property interest is only added if payment is late
re: paying IHT - instalment option
what happens if the property subject to the instalment option is sold?
- If the instalment property is sold, all IHT and interest is immediately payable
re: paying IHT - instalment option
is the instalment option available for lifetime transfers?
The above is in relation to IHT payable by PRs on the death estate.
The instalment option is also available to the donee of a PET and where there is additional IHT on an LCT if:
o The person benefitting from the transfer is paying the IHT; and
o They retained ownership from the date of transfer from DOD