WHEN a loved one dies, there are a number of pressing, and painful issues to deal with, one of which is settling their financial affairs. A new booklet from the Revenue Commissioners, What to do about tax when someone dies should be helpful to anyone acting as a personal representative/executor or trustee of someone's estate, to beneficiaries of a deceased person's estate or to a surviving spouse who may also now wish to consider the tax position of their own estate.

The booklet is written in fairly simple language - the law does not always provide for the easiest terminology - but it is particularly useful in the step-by-step description of what and when you must do something if you are settling someone's estate or acting as a trustee. It tells you exactly what tax office you need to contact as well as providing a list of the national and regional office addresses and telephone numbers. A number of typical examples of inheritance cases are also included.

The booklet is available free of charge from any tax office or by calling the Taxpayer Information Service, Capital Taxes Division at (01) 6792777.