Administrator: a person appointed by court to deal with the estate of a person who has died and left no will.
Attestation clause: a statement at the end of a will which says that the will has been properly signed and witnessed.
Beneficiary: a person who inherits from a will.
Codicil: a document that modifies some part of a will but does not revoke it.
Estate: all the property of a deceased person.
Executor: a person appointed in the will to deal with the estate of a deceased person.
Guardian: a person appointed to care for children under 18.
Intestate: a person who dies without making a valid will.
Issue: all the lineal descendents of a person, that is, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and so on.
Joint property: property not in your sole name.
Minor: a person under 18 years of age.
Probate: legal proof that a will is valid so that authority can be given to the executors to deal with the estate.
Residuary gift: a gift of residue.
Residue: the remainder of the estate after debts, funeral expenses, administration costs and tax have been paid and all specific gifts distributed.
Specific gift: a gift of a particular item of property.
Testamentary: to do with wills, for example, testamentary expenses – the expenses incurred by your executors to carry out your instructions in your will.
Testator: the person making the will.
Trust: an arrangement to hold money or other property for the benefit of another person, such as a child.
Trustee: a person appointed to manage property that is held under a trust for the benefit of another person.
Will: the document in which you say what is to happen to your property after your death.
Witness: a person other than the testator who signs the will to authenticate the testator’s signature.