Probate and Estate Administration

We understand how difficult it can be following the death of a loved one. We have the expertise to assist you in a sensitive manner and in a way that you understand each step. From a small estate to an extremely large and complex estate, we are here to help you.

Some of the matters we would deal with for you include:-

• Contacting the relevant financial institutions to value the assets and liabilities of the estate.

• Identifying the liabilities of the estate such as mortgages, loans and credit cards and contacting the relevant companies.

• Dealing with the pension companies, Department for Work and Pensions and all other organisations from whom the deceased received an income.

• Arranging valuations for real estate, shares, antiques etc.

• Filing and completing H M Revenue and Customs Inheritance Tax returns.

• Obtaining the Grant of Probate (where a valid Will exists) or Letters of Administration (where there is no Will).

• Collecting in the assets and discharging the liabilities of the estate.

• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property, land or farms.

• Distributing funds to the beneficiaries.

• Keeping you regularly updated throughout the administration process and answering any queries you might have.

• Providing full estate accounts to breakdown what has been received by and paid out of the estate.

• Advising executors and beneficiaries about their own tax and estate planning if relevant.

The above are the typical steps we take when dealing with a straightforward estate. Many estates can often be more complicated. In fact, there is no such thing as a ‘typical probate case’. Every estate is different and there are a whole range of variables which need to be considered in giving you a cost estimate.

We are flexible and can tailor our services to meet your needs. Some clients feel they are able to administer the estate themselves and only instruct us to deal with certain aspects of the process such as filing the Inheritance Tax return and obtaining the Grant of Probate. Other clients prefer to instruct us to conduct the full estate administration on their behalf. Either way, you will receive a compassionate, proactive and high quality service.

Free Consultation

We offer a free consultation to help you understand what is required when dealing with the estate, to explain the Probate process and to address your concerns. After this meeting, should you wish to enlist our services, a detailed costs estimate will be provided.

Our Charges

Where we are instructed to administer a simple estate involving applying for the Grant of Probate, collecting in the assets of the estate, discharging estate liabilities and distributing the assets to the beneficiaries under the terms of the Will, the below pricing structure will apply.

For dealing with a simple estate, we anticipate the entire process will take between 20 and 30 hours of work at an average hourly rate of £250. Total costs are therefore estimated at between £5,000 and £7,500 (£6,000 to £9,000 including VAT, which is currently charged at the rate of 20%).

The work will be handled by a qualified Solicitor or a Chartered Legal Executive, who are experienced and highly qualified in dealing with the administration of the estate. Please visit the ‘Our People’ section of this website for more information on the individuals who will represent you.

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, properties and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end.

We can handle the full process for you. This estimate is based upon estates that meet the following criteria:-

• there is a valid Will;

• there is no more than one property;

• there are no more than 6 bank or building society accounts;

• there are no other intangible assets;

• the deceased was not domiciled in any jurisdiction outside the UK;

• there are no overseas assets;

• the Will does not contain any trusts or complex provisions;

• there are no more than 5 cash legacies to be paid from the estate;

• there are no more than 4 residuary beneficiaries;

• there are no disputes between beneficiaries on the 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;

• there are no claims made against the estate.

• Disbursements, to which VAT are not added by us, but may already be included, in addition to our legal fees:-

1. Probate application fee of £300 for estates of £5,000 or more;

2. £1.50 per extra copy of the Grant of Probate;

3. bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary);

4. approximately £200 (including VAT) for a notice to be placed in the London Gazette—protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors;

5. approximately £100 (including VAT) for a notice in a Local Newspaper—this also protects against unexpected claims;

6. Land Registry search fees for obtaining office copy entries for any properties owned by the deceased of £6 per search;

7. Land Registry fees for transferring and registering the property in the names of the beneficiaries (costs are based on the value of the property which is charged by the Land Registry).

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

Potential additional costs

• if there is no Will or the estate consists of any shareholdings (stocks and bonds) there are likely to be additional costs which could range significantly depending on the estate and how it is dealt with. We can give you a more accurate quote once we have more information.

• dealing with the sale of the property in the estate is not included.

• it is often necessary to file self-assessment tax returns for the deceased and estate tax returns for the executors. We do not deal with the preparation and filing of such tax returns and will liaise with suitable firms of accountants whose fees will be charged to the estate.

• should the estate involve business or farming assets, this will increase our costs.

• if the estate involves Trusts, whether created in the lifetime of the deceased or under the terms of the Will, this will create additional work for which we will need to charge.

How long will this take?

On average, a relatively simple estate is dealt with within 6 to 9 months.

Typically, obtaining the Grant of Probate takes approximately 3 months from the date of us being instructed by the executors.

The process of collecting in the assets of the estate following the issue of the Grant of Probate usually takes between 1 month and 3 months.

Once all assets have been collected, we can arrange for the estate debts/liabilities to be settled, any cash legacies to be paid, interim distributions to be made to the residuary beneficiaries, the Estate Accounts to be prepared and for final distributions to be made, all of which normally takes between 2 and 3 months.

Contact us today if you require any assistance