New digital platform launched to help accountants manage probate more efficiently
Exizent’s bereavement platform enables accountants to handle probate cases more effectively and efficiently
The platform was initially launched to help legal services firms involved in bereavement administration
In 2014, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales became the first approved probate regulator and licensing authority outside the legal profession
A new digital platform has been launched to help accountants that manage probate cases to streamline inefficient and costly processes with easier estate management and case administration.
Exizent is the first ever platform to connect 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.
Exizent was initially launched to help legal services firms working for executors to efficiently manage the process of completing and submitting probate applications. Now, in response to the growing number of accountancy firms that manage probate cases for their clients, the platform has launched for accountants too, as Nick Cousins, CEO explains:
“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.
Nick 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.”
The next stage of Exizent’s development is to build digital connections with the various institutions that hold data and information about the person who has passed away to help them deal with queries from executors, accountants and legal services firms more efficiently. Exizent is currently piloting this functionality with the Scottish Building Society.
* ICAEW became the first approved probate regulator and licensing authority outside the legal profession in 2014. Since then more than 300 member firms have become accredited for probate services.
https://www.icaew.com/regulation/probate-services/information-for-consumers/icaew-probate-register
Exizent Platform
Exizent is THE industry platform for professionals involved with managing the bereavement process. When someone passes away, Exizent connects the data and services used by legal services firm, banks and financial institutions, and executors to sort out what’s required to make the journey for the bereaved an easier one. The Exizent platform is an integral part of the bereavement landscape helping to reduce uncertainty, increase speed and overall, make the process more straight forward for everyone.
It’s a business inspired by powerful stories, stories of people who have lost loved ones that have then found themselves caught in a web of complexity at a time of personal anguish. We don’t believe it has to be this way. By connecting the professionals, institutions and executors tasked with sorting out the administration involved when someone passes away Exizent is reducing the burden on those grieving.
If you would like to learn more about Exizent’s innovative platform and how it can benefit the bereavement process, get in touch today.