Probate Department
Our Probate team consists of three fully qualified Solicitors who are ably supported by our secretarial staff and between us, we have a wealth of experience in all aspects of administering estates. You can find out more information about our Solicitors on ‘Our People’ page. No matter who in our team handles your transaction, they will be supervised by Kathryn Vasey, our Head of Private Client.
Probate Charges
The information provided below is with reference to our charges for probate work in relation to uncontested cases where all the assets are in the UK. This includes estates with and without a valid Will as well as taxable and non-taxable estates. It is very difficult to provide exact costing information as individual circumstances will differ and require an individually tailored approach. We deal with a wide range of estates including those which have a foreign element to them or where the executors or beneficiaries live abroad, which can affect the costs incurred to the estate.
In addition, fees may be charged based on the value of the estate involved, as larger value estates or more complex estates tend to require more involvement and, as a consequence, higher fees.
Please note that Inheritance Tax is payable on an individual’s estate at a rate of 40% on the amount above the taxable threshold i.e. if the gross value of the estate is over the current Nil Rate Band limit of £325,000. However, there are exceptions and allowances which may affect and reduce the amount of tax which is payable. As part of our service in applying for a Grant of Representation, we will calculate the amount of tax which is payable (if any) In the meantime, you may wish to use the HMRC’s online inheritance tax calculator.
Probate Fees
We can help you through this difficult process by obtaining the Grant of Probate on your behalf. Our fees to obtain the Grant of Probate usually range between £1,000 and £3,000 plus VAT (at 20% £200 to £600) depending on the size and complexity of your estate.
Anticipated Disbursements:
-
Probate court fee of £300 plus £1.50 per copy
-
Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£3.20 per beneficiary)
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.
As part of our fee we will:
-
Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor 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 and the relevant HMRC forms
-
Draft a legal statement for you to sign
-
Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf
-
Obtain the Probate and securely send two copies to you
On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 3-12 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 6-18 weeks.
Additional Services
We can also handle the collecting and distributing of assets for an additional fee calculated on a time spent basis and charged at our hourly charge out rate of between £250-£270 per hour plus VAT (at 20% £50.00 to £54.00).
Costs for a full estate administration service
Our fees are calculated on a time spent basis which are charged at an hourly rate of between £250 - £270 plus VAT (at 20% £50 to £54). We have provided an example below of a typical estate administration and anticipated costs:
Estimated time will take between 10 and 20 hours work at between £250 - £270 per hour plus VAT (at 20% £40 to £54). Total costs estimated at £2,500-£5,400 plus VAT (at 20% £500 to £1,080) plus disbursements. 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 5-10 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
-
There are no claims made against the estate
Anticipated disbursements:
-
Probate application fee of £300 plus 1.50p per copy
-
Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£3.20 per beneficiary).
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 quote once we have more information.
-
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 3-12 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 6-18 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 1-8 weeks. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 2-4 weeks.