Latest news with #deceased
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Body found in vehicle in Northport Walmart parking lot, investigation underway
NORTHPORT, Ala. (WIAT) — An investigation is underway after a body was found in a vehicle in Northport Sunday afternoon. According to Northport Assistant Police Chief Keith Carpenter, police received a report at around 4 p.m. of a deceased individual in a vehicle in the Walmart parking lot at 5710 McFarland Blvd. Officers responded and confirmed the person was deceased. Woman killed in Birmingham crash The Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit has taken over the investigation. At this time, no cause of death has been confirmed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
2 found dead inside Colorado home after deputies shoot suspect with knife
Two people were found dead inside a home in the Denver metro area early Friday morning. The deceased were discovered when Adams County Sheriff's deputies were called to a home for a well-being check. When deputies arrived at the home located at Lofton Court and Kokai Circle just after 5 a.m., they encountered a male with a knife. Deputies said they used multiple resources in an attempt to disarm the male but were ineffective. The deputies said they shot the male and he was rushed to the hospital where he died. After the shooting, deputies conducted a "safety sweep" of the home where the initial 911 call originated and found two deceased adult victims inside the home. Investigators are conducting interviews and searching the home for evidence to determine what events transpired leading up to the deputies' arrival.
Telegraph
7 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
What is probate of will and how it works
Understanding what probate of will entails is crucial when dealing and distributing someone's assets when they die, but it can be a complex and complicated process. In this guide, we will aim to demystify the topic of probate, and provide you with what you need to know to navigate its intricacies with confidence. We will cover the following: What is probate? When is it needed? The probate process: A step-by-step guide Common probate challenges and how to overcome them FAQs What is probate of will? Probate, specifically probate of will, is the legal process of managing a deceased person's estate, typically by named executors. This includes: Handling assets Paying any outstanding debts Ensuring that beneficiaries receive their inheritance Before any inheritance may be passed on, probate ensures that all financial and legal obligations are met. In order to meet these requirements, executors are granted access to the deceased's bank accounts, investments and even property. Who are the key players in probate? There are several different stakeholders involved in the probate process and it can be confusing without an understanding of them. The most important roles are: Executor: the person or persons named in the will to manage the estate. Executors are responsible for collecting and distributing the deceased's assets, completing any legal documentation and paying off outstanding debts. Administrator: in the event of no will (known as 'intestacy') or the executors being unwilling to act, the court appoints an administrator to manage the deceased's estate. Beneficiaries: those people or organisations in line to inherit from the estate. Probate registry: the UK government office that processes probate applications. HMRC: responsible for collecting any inheritance tax. When is probate of will needed? Probate of will is required when dealing with a deceased person's major financial assets. In many cases, you won't be able to take charge of and distribute assets of significant value until you have a 'grant of probate' – so it is a very important task for executors, and can be a lengthy process. Financial companies and institutions will typically freeze accounts once a person dies, and you will need probate to access assets such as savings and investments or to be able to sell their home. Banks, investment firms and the Land Registry usually require legal proof before releasing funds or transferring ownership. Some banks may pay out small sums without the need for probate, ranging from £5,000 to £50,000, depending on the provider, but you will need other documentation, such as a death certificate, to access this money. If the deceased had no property and an estate worth less than £10,000, you may be able to avoid the stress of getting a grant, but the vast majority of executors do require one. If the deceased owned property solely in their name, probate is usually required. However, if most assets were jointly owned, probate may not be necessary due to ownership transferring directly to the surviving joint owner. What is a grant of probate? A grant of probate is the legal document that you will receive once you have been given authority to access and distribute a deceased person's assets. It is not a quick process. There have been reports of widespread delays with the probate system due to staff shortages and a shift to remote working. This has left some families having to wait months longer to gain control of their late loved one's finances, which can make it harder to pay inheritance tax bills, funeral costs and to sell a property. The probate process: A step-by-step guide Applying for probate of will can be overwhelming; however, following the steps below should make the process less stressful and time-consuming. There are seven steps you'll need to go through: Register the death Find the will Arrange the funeral Contact official organisations and financial providers Value the estate Apply for probate Pay inheritance tax 1. Register the death A death needs to be registered within five working days in most of Britain (eight in Scotland). Once this is done you will receive a copy of the death certificate. Make sure you order multiple copies as financial institutions will require one when you register the death with them and there could be lots of accounts to access. Each copy will cost you £12.50 in England and Wales. Confusingly, banks will sometimes ask for an 'original certificate', but this just means a certified copy. You can order more at a later date if needed. 2. Find the will The will should name an executor – the person responsible for dealing with the finances. If there is no will, then you will need to apply for Letters of Administration. This process is virtually identical to applying for probate in all but name, but can take longer. Once you have the will you should notify all the beneficiaries and place a notice in the Gazette, the official public record, asking potential creditors to come forward. This may sound excessive, but it is necessary to show you have carried out your legal duties as executor. Joe Cobb, of the law firm JMW Solicitors, said: 'Should the executor fail to take the correct measures in identifying the potential creditors and then one comes forward after the assets have been distributed, the creditor may pursue the beneficiaries for the outstanding amount.' 3. Arrange the funeral The deceased may have left instructions for their funeral in their will. Funeral costs are notoriously varied, but on average you should expect to spend £4,285 on a 'simple' attended service, according to the insurer SunLife. Luckily, some banks will pay out funeral expenses before probate is granted. If not, you can later recover the fees from the estate. Simon Hancox, of estate planning service Kings Court Trust, said: 'Executors or administrators can be reimbursed for reasonable expenses from the estate, which could include probate registry fees, funeral expenses, property maintenance, postage costs, the cost of death certificates, property insurance costs, clearance costs, valuation fees and so on.' 4. Contact official organisations and financial providers Government departments such as HM Revenue & Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions will need to know about someone's death to resolve tax or benefit issues. But you don't need to wait for hours on hold. You can use the Tell Us Once service to register the death with the various government departments in one go. You should also contact the banks, pension providers, investment firms and other companies the deceased held funds with. If the deceased held accounts with any of the following firms, then you can use the Death Notification Service to make things easier for yourself by notifying multiple organisations at once:
Irish Times
03-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Must I go to probate over dead relative's small holding of shares?
A relative of mine, who died some years ago, named me in their will as sole executor and, in that capacity, I have dealt fully and properly with her estate, with the exception of one small matter: the deceased had a small holding of shares (valued today at about €3,000), of which I only became aware recently. These shares are in the sole name of the deceased. Must grant of probate be applied for before they can be dealt with? Mr N. B. Being an executor is a more challenging role than many people expect and that is why you would like to think people ask whether others are happy to act in that capacity before putting their names down in their wills. READ MORE Of course, it is possible to renounce executorship, but most of us are reluctant to do so, not least as the deceased has placed their trust in us and it seems wrong to simply walk away – although that is very much what someone should do if they feel the role is beyond them. It is also why many people will nominate their solicitor to act alongside a friend or family member in the role. One of the big challenges for an executor is pulling together all the threads of a person's financial life – assets and debts – before (generally) seeking probate and then distributing any remaining assets to those named in their will. As you have discovered, it can be very difficult to track down all the strands of a person's life. We all know we should keep file or, even notes alongside our wills on assets and where they are, but we never do. You are far from the first person to be surprised by a long-forgotten asset. Probate is generally required and most often this is done by a solicitor on behalf of the executor, though it is possible in the case of very straightforward estates for an executor to make a personal application. There are some limited exceptions when you can bypass probate. This includes where the assets are jointly owned by spouses – such as the family home or bank accounts – and are transferring to the surviving spouse under what is called survivorship. In practical terms, this means these do not even form part of the estate and therefore probate is irrelevant. If the only asset in an estate is money amounting to less than €20,000 in an account that is just in the dead person's name then most banks will have procedures in place allowing it to be transferred without going through probate. There is also a process called the Small Estates Procedure for the management of estates that are, in total, worth less than €25,000. However, my understanding is that where the estate includes shares in a listed company, probate will be required. If you secured probate for the rest of the estate, you will need to inform them of this late-discovered asset and you will inevitably be required to file an updated listed of assets and debts. If you did not have to go the probate route the first time, these shares will now require it, as I understand. And that means the whole estate has to go to probate. It might well be something you require legal assistance with. Ironically, that could easily wipe out the value of these shares. The relevant value for probate, obviously, is not their current value, but the value at the time the person died. For anyone else going through an estate, it is always an idea to examine bank statements closely as this is where you might get a clue to the existence of shares through dividend payments – assuming the shares pay a dividend. Please send your queries to Dominic Coyle, Q&A, The Irish Times, 24-28 Tara Street Dublin 2, or by email to with a contact phone number. This column is a reader service and is not intended to replace professional advice
The Herald
28-05-2025
- General
- The Herald
'Beaten to death over bread': family says boy stole because he was hungry
A 14-year-old boy has died after allegedly being beaten by members of his community for stealing bread, jam and money. The incident, on May 7 in Mhlahlane locality in the Mqanduli policing precinct in the Eastern Cape, has shocked residents and reignited conversations about hunger, poverty and justice in rural South Africa. Police spokesperson Capt Welile Matyolo confirmed the incident. He said two boys were assaulted, a 14 and 16-year-old. 'It is alleged they were accused of stealing food and money.' The 16-year-old survived the assault. His condition was described as stable but not critical. Four people, two women and two men aged between 40 and 59, were arrested for murder and attempted murder. 'Those arrested are the mother of the surviving boy, uncle of the deceased, owner of the stolen items and the in-law to the owner of the stolen items,' said Matyolo. The deceased boy's family said they were shocked and devastated by the events that unfolded. 'We heard of the sudden passing of our child in an unusual way. The children entered through the window of that household. They stole bread and instant porridge which shows the child was extremely hungry because we are a family who struggle to put food on the table,' a family spokesperson told Newzroom Afrika. According to the family, the children were caught by the owner of the house who, with others, decided to mete out their own punishment. The family alleges the boys were beaten with a knobkerrie and salt was inserted into their anuses as part of the abuse. 'The wrongdoers were arrested and granted bail, which we did not expect. They should have searched for the children, found them and brought them to the family so we could repay them for what they had stolen,' said the spokesperson. The family calculated the value of the stolen goods, bread, jam, instant porridge and cash, to be R653, and claimed they were prepared to pay that amount. 'What we thought would be punishment for their wrongdoing led to their death, which is not something we agreed to or expected,' he said. The accused were granted R500 bail each by the Elliotdale magistrate's court on May 22 and are expected to appear again on June 18. TimesLIVE
