Every question buyers ask before purchasing the Blueprint — covering jurisdiction accuracy, probate fees, IHT, executor liability, forms, and when to stop and get a solicitor.
Written specifically for Northern Ireland. It uses NIPF1 (with will) and NIPF2 (intestacy) — not the E&W PA1A/PA1P series — and explicitly warns against importing E&W procedures. Intestacy rules and statutory legacies are taken from the Administration of Estates (Northern Ireland) Act 1955.
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Aligned with The Court of Judicature (Non-Contentious Probate) Fees (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 — S.R. 2026 No. 35. Fees: £326 application, £81 personal-application supplement, £17 per sealed copy of the grant.
Yes. NI statutory legacies are £250,000 (where the deceased leaves issue) and £450,000 (where the deceased leaves no issue), per the Administration of Estates (Northern Ireland) Act 1955. The England & Wales £322,000 figure is not used and is explicitly flagged as incorrect for NI.
Yes. IHT treatment follows current HMRC rules including the interest clock (interest starts six months after the end of the month of death on unpaid IHT), the IHT400 vs excepted-estate routing, and the hybrid option for borderline cases (executor handles admin, solicitor handles IHT400). Current NRB is £325,000; RNRB is £175,000.
NIPF1 for testate estates (with a will) and NIPF2 for intestate estates (no will). The Blueprint explicitly warns not to use the E&W PA1A or PA1P forms for a Northern Ireland estate.
ProbateNI currently processes applications in approximately 8–16 weeks from submission. This varies by complexity, completeness of the application, and ProbateNI workload at the time.
Intermeddling means acting as executor before you formally accept the role — paying a bill from the deceased's account, handing over jewellery, instructing property repairs. Once you intermeddle, you are bound as executor in law even if you later change your mind. The Blueprint includes a dedicated Point of No Return warning with specific everyday examples.
Yes, in certain circumstances. Distributing before IHT is cleared, paying beneficiaries before the statutory creditor notice period expires, or paying a bankrupt beneficiary can all result in the executor being personally liable for the shortfall — not the estate. The Blueprint covers each risk before you encounter it.
The grant is issued. IHT is cleared. The statutory creditor notice period has expired. All known debts are paid. Bankruptcy searches have been run against all cash beneficiaries. All five must be completed before you distribute a single penny to any beneficiary.
Insolvent or near-insolvent estates, contested wills, significant business or trust interests, foreign assets, and complex IHT cases require a solicitor. The Blueprint is explicit about this — not buried in footnotes — and routes these cases to professional help at the start of each relevant section.
Yes. For borderline IHT cases the Blueprint recommends a hybrid approach: you handle the administration, a solicitor reviews and submits IHT400. You can also use it as background reading before instructing a solicitor, to understand what is happening and why.
No. It is an educational guide — informational and structured. It is not legal, tax, or financial advice. For contested estates, foreign assets, complex business structures, trusts, or substantial IHT planning, it recommends consulting a qualified NI solicitor or STEP practitioner.
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