Chandler's Ford: HWB brings probate into the accountancy portfolio

Accountancy firm HWB has become one of the first practices in the Solent region to obtain a licence to undertake probate work. HWB, based in Chandler's Ford and one of the largest independent firms in the region, has been awarded the licence by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

Estates and private client tax specialist Stacey Steele and tax director Tracy Jenkins have both qualified to undertake probate work and are now fully accredited with ICAEW.

Probate is the process of administering a person’s estate and possessions after they have died and has traditionally been carried out by solicitors. A change in the law means licensed accountancy practices are now able to carry out non-contentious probate.

Jenkins said: “We are delighted to be one of the first accountancy practices in the area to be awarded a licence to undertake probate work.

“The firm has a highly-regarded specialism in estate planning and inheritance tax, so probate is a natural complement to what we do here at HWB.

“This is a significant addition to our services and puts us in a position to handle virtually all estate administration. Losing a loved one is hard enough and this licence will mean we can offer a seamless service to clients without the need for part of the administration process to be dealt with by a solicitor.”

Jenkins and Steele will be working with the firm’s growing client base across Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire.