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Publications and Press Releases :
Press Release
: News Archives
Support services for estate beneficiaries
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The Estate Beneficiaries Support Unit of the Home Affairs Department
will, from next Monday (April 2), provide a series of support services
for estate beneficiaries of persons who passed away on or after
February 11, 2006.
The Secretary for Home Affairs is
empowered to provide the support services under the Probate and
Administration Ordinance, with effect from February 11, 2006, following
the abolition of estate duty.
While preparation was made by the
Home Affairs Department for establishing the support unit to assume
the responsibilities, the Commissioner of Inland Revenue had been
given the authority to deliver the support services as an interim
arrangement.
"The Estate Beneficiaries
Support Unit will take over the relevant functions from the Estate
Duty Office of the Inland Revenue Department in April," a Home
Affairs Department spokesman said.
"The support services
to be provided by the unit, which aims to safeguard the legitimate
interests of beneficiaries in the estates will remain unchanged."
These services include:
(a) issuing a Confirmation Notice
exempting people dealing with a small estate made up of money not
exceeding $50,000 in aggregate value from the intermeddling provisions;
(b) issuing a Certificate for Necessity
for Release of Money to meet funeral expenses of the deceased person
or maintenance of former dependants of the deceased person;
(c) issuing a Certificate for Necessity
of Inspection of Bank Deposit Box, if the deceased person rented
a safe deposit box, and sending officers to witness the inspection
of the safe deposit box and preparation of an inventory by the estate
beneficiary; and
(d) issuing an Authorisation for Removal
from Bank Deposit Box to enable the estate beneficiaries or the
surviving renters to remove specified document or article from the
safe deposit box.
People may visit the unit on the
3rd floor of the Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai for
lodging applications for support services. For enquiries, they may
contact the Unit at 2835 1535 or through e-mail ebsu@had.gov.hk.
An enquiry counter will also be set up on the 22nd floor of Wu Chung
House, 213, Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, to provide information
and enquiry services for the public also starting from next Monday.
Information booklet and leaflets
on the services are available at the Public Enquiry Service Centres
of the Home Affairs Department in the 18 districts, the Estate Duty
Office of the Inland Revenue Department, the Probate Registry, the
relevant service centres of the Social Welfare Department, the Deaths
Registries and all public hospitals. The public may also access
the support unit website at www.had.gov.hk/estates
for details of the services.
Ends/Thursday, March 29, 2007
Issued at HKT 15:01
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