The Northern Ireland Executor Blueprint 2026 is a 134-page sequential guide that walks you through every stage of NI estate administration in the correct order — from the first 72 hours after death to final distribution and closure. It is not a reference dictionary to dip into randomly; it is a structured path designed so that if you follow it in sequence, nothing falls through the gaps.
The Blueprint opens with a Navigation Roadmap offering three ways in depending on where you are.
For the first days after a death. Covers immediate decisions: registering the death, securing property, stopping direct debits, notifying banks, and avoiding intermeddling. Start here if you have been handed responsibility and don't know what to do first.
The complete A-to-Z path from death to estate closure. Read this in order if you want to understand the full journey before you begin, or if you are handling the estate methodically from the start.
A topical index for when you have a specific question mid-process. Look up probate fees, IHT routing, bankruptcy searches, or any other topic without re-reading sections you have already completed.
The Navigation Roadmap directs you to the right starting point — crisis, full process, or lookup — so you are not reading irrelevant sections under pressure.
Are you an executor named in a will (NIPF1) or an administrator for an intestate estate (NIPF2)? Is the estate straightforward or does it need professional referral? Section 1 confirms this before you do anything else.
Register the death, secure assets, notify organisations, and prepare the probate application package. The Blueprint lists every form, every fee, and every organisation to contact in the right order.
NIPF1 or NIPF2 form completion, the 2026 court fees (£326 + £81 personal supplement + £17 per sealed copy), and what to expect during the 8–16 week processing period.
Collect assets, settle debts, handle IHT (IHT400 or excepted-estate route), and complete the mandatory checks before you distribute a single penny.
Grant issued. IHT cleared. Statutory creditor notice expired. All known debts paid. Bankruptcy searches run against all cash beneficiaries. All five must be done before distribution.
Final estate accounts, beneficiary receipts, executor discharge, and record retention — the stage most DIY guides omit entirely.
Two-page printable tracker covering the full 6–18 month journey, with section references and date-stamp prompts.
Exactly what to take to a branch so they do not turn you away. Most executors arrive unprepared and face a second visit.
Explains what each covers, which NI bodies use which system, and the TV Licensing limitation that catches many families out.
Every section closes with a short checklist so you know you have completed that stage before moving to the next.
NI-specific prompts to notify Land & Property Services Rates, return home-care equipment, and update credit reference agencies.
Clear decision trees for when the case exceeds DIY scope — so you know when to stop and get professional help before making an irreversible mistake.
Ready to start with the complete picture?
Get the Blueprint — £37