New bereavement platform launched to help manage probate

21st July 2021

A new digital platform has been launched by Exizent to help accountants that manage probate cases to streamline inefficient and costly processes with easier estate management and case administration.

The platform connects data, services and the network of people involved when someone passes away. It enables users to capture all estate information in easy to navigate cases, add relevant personal details, assets and liabilities, upload relevant documents and use Exizent’s expanding range of data searches to quickly populate missing information. Court and tax forms – including PA1 and IHT – can then be pre-populated from case data and exported, and everything is archived securely for reference or further work.

Nick Cousins, CEO at Exizent said “For many years accountants have been supporting clients with probate, as they often have an existing relationship with and extensive knowledge about the deceased’s financial affairs, but historically a solicitor would still have been needed to carry out the legalities.  

“That was until 2014 when the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) became the first approved probate regulator and licensing authority outside the legal profession. This means members are able to carry out probate for their clients and since then, increasing numbers of people are turning to their accountants to handle the process.”

The probate process is understood to be lengthy and time-consuming, and often plagued with delays, making the entire experience difficult and complicated for everyone involved. Exizent’s recent ‘Bereavement Index’, which talked to professionals and the bereaved about their experiences discovered that of those that had suffered a loss, 94% found at least part of the bereavement process stressful, and 87% agreed probate was a source of stress.

Cousins continues: “We believe the administrative tasks facing families after the death of a loved one should be far easier, and that modern technology solutions and services can make this a reality. We have spent 18 months carefully designing, developing, and testing our product with innovative partners and launched the platform to legal services professionals late in 2020.”

“Over the past months we have been working closely with several accountancy firms to ensure the platform is offering them what they need and following a successful pilot with them are excited to now launch the platform to the accountancy sector.”