Date-of-death valuation letter for shares and investments: free template

Written by Settle Editorial Team · Last reviewed 22 Oct 2026

Checked against GOV.UK guidance for England & Wales. The letter wording is the same as in the Probate Starter Pack.

Quick answer: Send this letter to each investment platform, fund manager or share registrar that held investments for the person. It asks for the value of every holding on the date of death, any dividends, interest, cash or transactions after that date, and what they need before the holdings can be sold or transferred. GOV.UK says to find out the value of each asset on the date the person died; for accounts such as ISAs, contact the organisation for an exact figure.

When to send it, and who to

Who it goes to. The bereavement or estates team of each investment platform, stocks and shares ISA manager or fund manager, and, for shares held on paper certificates, the company's share registrar named on the certificate or on dividend statements.
When. Early, while you are working out the estate's value for the probate application and any Inheritance Tax.
Who sends it. The executor, the administrator if there is no will, or the person dealing with the estate.
What you get back. A valuation at the date of death for each holding, the income received since, and the provider's list of what it needs to sell or transfer.

The letter (free to copy)

Copy it into an email or a document, replace every [bracket] with your own details, and delete what doesn't apply.

Template 2 of 9 · Investment or share provider: date-of-death valuation

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]

Bereavement team
[Investment platform, fund manager or share registrar]
[Address]

Subject: Date-of-death valuation: estate of [name]

Dear Sir or Madam,

Please provide the value of all holdings registered to [name] as at [date of death], together with details of any income, dividends, cash balances or transactions arising after that date. Please confirm what authority and documents you require before the holdings can be sold or transferred.

Yours faithfully, [name / executor details]

Probate Starter Pack · £4.99

This is letter 2 of 9 in the Probate Starter Pack

The pack has all nine letters ready to personalise, along with the 25-step checklist and the Excel estate accounts workbook. A 44-page printable toolkit, instant download.

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This page and the letter are free to use.

What to enclose

A copy of the death certificate (usually a certified copy; check the provider's bereavement page).
The account number, client reference or shareholder reference number from a recent statement, dividend statement or share certificate.
The grant of probate or letters of administration, if you have it: an official copy, not the original. Many providers need it before they will sell or transfer, so the letter asks them to confirm.
Proof of your own identity, if the provider asks for it.

Don't send original documents unless the organisation specifically asks for them. Keep a copy of the version you actually sent, the date, the reference number and the reply.

Common mistakes

Using the value on the next statement. The figure you need is the value on the date of death, not the date the statement was printed.
Mixing in income received after the death. Dividends and interest paid after the death are estate income, so they go in the income account, not the date-of-death value. The letter asks for them separately.
Missing small holdings. Look for dividend payments on bank statements and for old share certificates; each points to a holding and its registrar.
Forgetting the cash. Platforms often hold uninvested cash alongside the investments; the letter asks for cash balances too.
Selling before you have the authority the provider needs. Ask first; the letter asks what authority and documents they require.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I need the value at the date of death?

It is the value used to work out the estate for Inheritance Tax and on the probate application, and it is the starting figure in the capital account of the estate accounts.

Who do I write to for shares held on paper certificates?

The company's share registrar. Its name is on the share certificate and on dividend statements.

Do dividends paid after the death go in the valuation?

No. Dividends and interest paid after the death are income of the estate. The letter asks for them separately so you can show them in the income account.

Can the provider sell or transfer the holdings before probate?

Ask the provider. Many need the grant first. The letter asks what authority and documents they need before the holdings can be sold or transferred.

Related guides

More free letter templates

Sources

General information for England and Wales, not legal advice. If the estate is complex, disputed or may not be able to pay its debts, take advice from a solicitor.