Lawyer Reports Increased Estate Work and Family Stress
Professional Observation from a Lawyer
I have a small but busy practice. Since late 2022, we have seen a steady increase in estate work. We are dealing with more people dying in their 50s. It is really sad. A previous member of staff had a vaccine injury and I worry about the long term consequences. We have also seen an increase in letters of administration work – this is where people die without making a will, which is stressful on the family.
More people are making Wills. This is often triggered by having someone close to them die suddenly or quickly from cancer. I have heard similar stories from colleagues. There was a significant delay in obtaining probate and letters of administration in 2022-23. The official reason given was that there was a backlog due to disruptions caused by the Wellington protest. People are definitely more stressed since Covid-19, and we are seeing a lot of couples separating.
