Understanding Confirmation – the Legal Document Required to Administer an Estate in Scotland
When someone dies, one question comes before everything else, and it’s the question Confirmation addresses: who has the legal authority to deal with what they left behind?
In Scotland, the legal document that grants that authority is a Grant of Confirmation. In England and Wales it’s a Grant of Probate, and most people use “probate” for the whole process, which is easy enough to understand. The law in Scotland is different, though, and the procedure runs through the sheriff court, not an English probate registry.
Confirmation involves more than it first appears: a complete inventory of the estate, accurate forms, and a working knowledge of Scots succession law. Complications such as a missing Will, assets abroad or disagreements between beneficiaries add further layers, and mistakes can cost the estate money. In some circumstances they leave executors personally liable.
Our team manages every part of executry administration, from the initial meeting through to final distribution, making sure the estate ends up where the person’s wishes, or the law, say it should. We work with clients across Inverness, the wider Highlands and surrounding areas, and we explain what’s happening at every stage in plain English.
