Probate

If a loved one has died, the thought of dealing with the administration of their estate can be a daunting prospect at what is a very difficult time. We can offer expert assistance to the family to give effect to the wishes of your loved one. We can provide as much or as little assistance as your need with the administration of an estate

Our Fees

For obtaining a Grant of Probate only (part-administration)

We are pleased to be able to offer fixed fees for obtaining a Grant of Probate. Once the Grant is granted you will then be able to collect and distribute the assets of the estate.

Our fees are:

• £845 plus VAT and disbursements (see below) when no inheritance tax is payable, and you do not wish to claim a residence nil rate band
• £1,245 plus VAT and disbursements (see below) when no inheritance tax is payable, but you do wish to claim a residence nil rate band. In these cases, it is necessary for us to complete the IHT 400 form.
• £1,500 plus VAT and disbursements (see below) when inheritance tax is payable and an IHT 400 form is necessary.

Disbursements:

• £155 for the probate application fee
• £5 to £7 for swearing the oath per executor (this may be higher if there is a codicil as well as a will)

Potential additional costs:

• If any additional copies of the Grant are required, they will cost 50p per copy (we recommend 1 copy per asset)
• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property

How long will this take?

Once you have provided us with date of death valuations for all the estate’s assets and liabilities, it will take in the region of 4 to 6 weeks to obtain a Grant of Probate if no inheritance tax is payable and you do not wish to claim a residence nil rate band. If either of these apply, the process will take slightly longer; in the region of 8 to 12 weeks.

For obtaining a Grant of Probate, collecting and administering the assets (full administration)

We anticipate this will take between 10 and 16 hours work at £190 plus VAT per hour. Total costs estimated at £1,900 to £3,000 plus VAT plus disbursements (see below)

The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property, costs will be at the lower end of the range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end.

We will handle the full process for you. This quote is for estates where:

• 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 2 – 3 beneficiaries
• There are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
• There is no inheritance tax payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC (an IHT 400)
• There are no claims made against the estate

Disbursements in addition to this fee are:

• Probate application fee of £155
• £5 to £7 for swearing the oath per executor (this may be higher if there is a codicil as well as a will)
• Bankruptcy only – Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary)
• £84.60 for post in The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
• £64.24 for post in a Local Newspaper – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims.

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

Potential additional costs

• If there is no will or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there is likely to be additional costs that could range significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be dealt with. We can give you a more accurate cost estimate once we have more information.
• If you wish to claim a residence nil rate band, it will be necessary for us to prepare and submit an IHT 400 form to HMRC. There will be additional costs associated with this.
• If any additional copies of the Grant are required, they will cost 50p per copy (we recommend 1 copy per asset)
• If the income tax return is exceptional in nature, there may be an additional charge.
• If there is a DWP investigation into the benefits received by the deceased, additional work may be required, which will incur additional costs
• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.

How long will this take?

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 5 to 8 months (although, if there is a property that needs to be sold this may be longer and will depend on how quickly the property sells) Typically, obtaining the Grant of Probate takes 8 to 12 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 4 to 6 weeks (although, note this will be longer if there is a property that needs to be sold). Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 8 to 12 weeks.

As part of our fee for a full administration we will:

–       Provide you with a dedicated and experience probate lawyer to work on your matter.

–       Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries

–       Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require

–       Obtain the relevant documents required to make the application

–       Complete the Probate application

–       Make the application to the Probate Registry on your behalf

–       Obtain the Grant of Probate

–       Ensure all income tax matters are settled with HMRC

–       Prepare Estate Accounts

–       Collect and distribute all assets in the estate

The costs information given on this website is general. You will be given more precise and personalised information later once we are aware of all the circumstances of your matter.

Please note we may have to revise our fee estimate if exceptional circumstances arise in your matter.

Service team

Lyndzey Smissen

Head of Wills, Trusts and Probate

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