PROBATE

Dealing with someone’s affairs after they have died can be time consuming and complicated. We can do this for you and we offer a free initial discussion where we can give you a clear statement of our fees.

We have many years’ experience and expertise in dealing with estates. We take the worry and stress away from you by dealing with the financial institutions, the tax authorities and the court. 

We will:

  • collect in all of the relevant details of the assets and liabilities and we will complete the necessary tax forms and if necessary arrange for payment of Inheritance Tax
  • make the distributions according to the Will and prepare details of all the money and property so you can see where the money has come from and where it is going
  • look at the Will and advise you if it should be re-written.  This can be done anytime up to 2 years after the date of death and can help reduce any Inheritance Tax on the estate.
PRICING STRUCTURE FOR PROBATE SERVICES

Our fees for Probate services are calculated on a case by case basis.

We will always offer an initial free interview where we ask you to bring in as much information as possible in order to help us assess the work that will be involved in administering the estate of the deceased. Following that meeting, we will give you a clear estimate of our fees together with VAT and any expenses that we incur on your behalf such as Probate court fees. We will always confirm those figures to you in writing. At that stage, you will have the option of agreeing to those fees and instructing us to carry out the work or not.

Our professional body, the Solicitors Regulation Authority, require us to put details of our fees on our website prior to this process as part of a transparency process relating to fees of all solicitors firms.

We have set out below a broad indication of the level of fees but work involving Probate matters can vary hugely from a simple estate which involves money in one or two accounts where it is unnecessary to obtain a Grant of Probate from the court and there is no tax payable on the estate through to highly complex administrations which involve property and assets in different countries, complex tax calculations, Deed of Variation, where the original Will can be varied by agreement, the tracing of missing beneficiaries, and assets and liabilities in a wide variety of accounts, shareholdings and investments.

Our fees can vary from £1,000 plus VAT and expenses to £30,000 plus VAT and expenses.

Please remember that we always offer a free initial interview so that we can give you a much more accurate estimate.

FREE FIRST INTERVIEW

The costs incurred in dealing with a Probate matter are based upon the time taken to carry out the work and upon who is dealing with it.

The hourly rates are: -

Work carried out by a Partner £400 per hour plus VAT;
Work carried out by a Solicitor £350 plus VAT;
Work carried out by a Trainee Solicitor £180 plus VAT.

Expenses are in addition to our fees and include any fee payable to the court for an application for a Grant of Probate or Grant of Letters of Administration. Other expenses may include a fee to pay for an advert in a newspaper relating to the estate. Typically, these fees range from £155 to £500.

Following the initial free interview we will set out details of our costs in writing explaining what will be involved in the administration of the estate.

Typically, our costs for administering an estate are £3,000 to £7,000 plus VAT and expenses.

Our fees for administering an estate include:  

  • taking your initial instructions in relation to the estate of the deceased;
  • checking the validity of any Will;
  • gathering all details of assets and liabilities;
  • where necessary, preparing an application to the court for a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration;
  • dealing with and completing the relevant forms for payment of any Inheritance Tax;
  • Corresponding with the Tax Authorities as necessary;
  • arranging with you how the tax will be paid;
  • dealing with registrars relating to any shares;
  • prepare an advertisement for debts due to the estate;
  • payment of any beneficiaries under the terms of the Will;
  • payment of any debts and expenses;
  • preparing estate accounts for your approval;
  • arranging for final distribution of the estate.

The work will not include the work involved in any transfer or sale of any property;

We will advise you on whether a Deed of Variation of the Will is necessary but if it is, that will be at an additional which is typically £750 plus VAT.

With regard to the time taken to deal with an estate again this can vary but typically it is between 6 months and 12 months from when we receive your instructions.

Talk with a Lawyer

If you are have a probate claim and would like to find out more before committing then please request a callback by filling in the form here.