Probate Pricing

Thank you for looking at our probate services. Coping with the death of a person can bring a mixture of emotions and the legal side of dealing with a person’s death can often be overwhelming and confusing. Having compassionate, experienced legal advice can make this difficult situation much easier on you and your loved ones.

Whether the deceased person left a Will or whether there is substantial wealth and property involved, the sense of burden can increase. Where a Will is in existence the Executors will need to apply for the Grant of Probate which will give them the legal right to administer the estate. Where there is no Will in existence, the Will is invalid, or it does not specify Executor, an Administrator will need to be appointed.

Why Us

We have an experienced team with four STEP qualified solicitors who can assist you with every aspect of the probate process, reducing the administrative burden and advising sensitively on key decisions which need to be made when managing an estate. We are aware that administering an estate comes at a time of grief and high emotion, and that most people do not know the processes and legal requirements involved.

We will give you a clear time frame of how long probate should take and will keep you and any beneficiaries advised throughout.

You will have the confidence that you are our priority, with our aim being that any member of the team is available to speak with you when you need some clarity and certainty at any stage in the process. We feel this provides reassurance and gives you an outlet for any concerns that you may have. Fees are generally paid out of the estate, so there may not be a need for you to fund the administration.

We are proud to hold the Lexcel accreditation which involves the firm undergoing a rigorous audit process which ensures we maintain high levels of client care.

We can help you through this difficult process by obtaining the Grant of Probate on your behalf. We will also undertake the collecting and distribution of assets and as part of the fee we will:

• Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor to work on your matter
• Identify the legally appointed executors, administrators and beneficiaries
• Accurately identify the type of probate application you will require
• Obtain relevant documents required to make the application
• Complete the Probate Application and relevant HMRC Forms
• Draft a Legal Oath for you to swear
• Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf
• Obtain Probate
• Collect and distribute all assets in the estate

Pricing

The fees involved in a probate matter can vary and this will depend on the individual circumstances involved.

We offer both fixed fees and an hourly rate charging rate, whereby you will be charged for each hour of work undertaken. The hourly rates vary depending on the seniority and experience of your legal advisor.

Range of Costs

The costs associated with administering an estate vary depending on the circumstances and complexity of the estate. Our fees are based on the hourly rate of the solicitor who is completing the work on your behalf, which means that the overall cost will depend on how much work we are needed to complete. We may also charge a value element depending on the complexity of the matter of not more than 1.5% of the value of the estate. We will always provide you with a bespoke cost estimate at the outset of the matter and we will keep you updated throughout.

A typical matter may cost overall in the region of 1.5 – 3% of the value of the estate. This estimate is based upon the following circumstances:

•             There is a valid Will

•             There is no more than one property

•             There are no more than 5 bank or building society accounts

•             There are no other intangible assets

•             There are no more than 5 beneficiaries, and all of them can be contacted. 

•             There are no disputes between beneficiaries about the division of assets, and no claims against the estate.

•             There are no ongoing trusts in the Will

•             There is no inheritance tax payable, and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC

If the estate is more complex than this then the overall fee may be higher.

Fixed Fee

We can help you through this difficult process by obtaining the Grant of Probate on your behalf for a fixed fee. The fees quoted rely on you collating the information in relation to the value of the estate and we will complete the probate application and relevant HMRC forms. Upon receipt of the Grant of Representation we will pass the original and sealed copies to you to administer the rest of the estate yourself, unless you wish us to administer the estate as per the pricing section above:

Disbursements (For Both Options)

Disbursements are specific fees related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees or court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Anticipated Disbursements

Inheritance Tax

There are various factors that will affect any Inheritance Tax due on an estate, including the size of the estate and any measures that were put in place by the deceased to limit the estate’s tax liability.

We do not believe that it would be sensible to attempt to provide at this stage an estimate of any tax that may be payable. We would advise you to look on the HMRC Website to calculate Inheritance Tax which may be due. The calculators can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hmrc-tools-and-calculators#inheritance-tax-and-bereavement

Additional Costs

In the event that there is no Will or the estate consists of any share holdings (Stocks and Bonds), there is likely to be an additional cost that could range significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be handled. We will discuss this with you in detail and advise of any additional fees.

In the event that additional copies of the Grant of Probate are required, these will be charged at £0.50 per copy or per asset.

The cost of selling or transferring a property is not included in this price, if you require this service, please let us know and we will provide you with an estimate in that regard.

Exclusions

Our fees include items detailed above, however there may be factors which would typically increase the cost of the fees involved. Where there is likely to be any additional cost, we will make sure you are informed of this at the earliest opportunity and a clear estimate of those extra costs will be provided.

Additional services that will require the assistance of a third party at additional cost include:

• Tax advice
• Valuations for property, savings, investments or other assets

Time Scales

On average, probate for the typical estate will take between 3 – 12 months. Generally, the time taken to obtain the Grant of Probate will take between 3 - 6 months, followed by the collection of assets and distribution of the assets which can take between a further 4 -12 months. The range takes into account handling everything from straightforward estates through to more complex estates although there are times when an estate can take longer to deal with and we would continue to keep you updated as the matter progressed.

Key Milestones

With every transaction there are key milestones, which may vary according to individual circumstances. They may be as follows:

• Applying for Grant of Probate
• Obtaining Grant of Probate
• Settling Liabilities
• Collecting funds ready for distribution
• Distributing funds
• Producing Estate Accounts