Last Will and Testament - Information you NEED to know

What is probate and why is it necessary?
When a person dies, somebody has to deal with their estate, which includes the money, property, and possessions left.  Whoever deals with the estate must collect in all the money, pay any debts, and distribute what is left to those people entitled to it. To get this authority, they usually need a legal document called a “grant” from the Probate Court.
Organizations that hold assets in the deceased’s name may require a grant to know who that money should be paid to.  
The grant is the legal proof that the person named as the personal representative may deal with the assets of the deceased.  When a person dies, their estate passes to the people named in their will. If there is no valid will, it passes to their heirs-at-law.

When is a grant required?
A grant is always required to sell or transfer land held in the name of the deceased person, unless they owned it as a joint tenant.
A grant may be required in other circumstances.  Here are a few examples:
• when financial organizations hold assets in the name of the deceased
• when someone dies without a will
• when there is a dispute concerning the will