Probate Price Structure and Guidance

Our costs:

We anticipate this will take between 15 and 25 hours work at £272 plus VAT per hour. Total costs estimated at £4,000 to £8,000 (+VAT) 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.

This estimate is for estates where:

• There is a valid will
• There is no more than one property
• We are not required to visit the property or make arrangements in relation to its maintenance, insurance, clearance and marketing
• There are no more than 4 bank or building society accounts
• There are no other intangible assets
• There are 2-4 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

In addition to our fee, the following Disbursements will be payable:

• Probate application fee of £300, plus £1.50 for each additional official copy of the grant
• Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary)
• Approximately £200 (exact costs will depend upon the local newspaper) for a post in The London Gazette and in a Local Newspaper, to protect against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.

(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.)

What will we do?

We will handle the full process for you. We will:

• Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor or paralegal 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 valuations and documents required to make the application
• Complete the Legal Statement (Probate Application) and the relevant HMRC forms
• Make the application to the Probate Registry on your behalf
• Submit a post in The London Gazette and in a Local Newspaper
• Collect all assets in the estate
• Settle debts in the estate from the value realised
• Finalise and distribute the estate

Potential additional costs:

• If the estate is more complex than as set out above, for example because
  • There is no Will,
  • We are required to manage the property or its clearance or sale
  • The estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) or assets which are in any way more complex than set out above
  • The income tax position needs to be settled
  • The DWP raise an enquiry
  • A full inheritance tax account is required

Then there are 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.
• Advice to beneficiaries is not included.

How long will this take?

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 9-12 months.

Typically:

• Obtaining the grant of probate normally takes up to 16 weeks.
• Collecting assets normally takes 4-6 weeks.
• Settling any debts normally takes 4-6 weeks.
• Finalising the estate and distributing the balance, normally takes 3-4 weeks.

Please bear in mind that any property sales, or dealings with HMRC to finalise the income tax position and DWP to finalise state benefits can cause the estate administration to take substantially longer than average.

We can help you by obtaining the Grant of Probate on your behalf. This is a grant only service and you will remain responsible for dealing with all other aspects relating the administration of the estate.

Our costs:

TOTAL: fixed fee of £900 (incl. VAT) plus disbursements

Breakdown of costs:

• Legal fees £750
• VAT on legal fees £150

Disbursements:

• Probate application fee of £300, plus £1.50 for each additional official copy of the grant

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.

 What will we do?

You will provide us with the financial information we need to arrange the probate application on your behalf. Once the grant has been issued, we will send it to you so that you can deal with the remainder of the administration of the estate.
As part of our fixed fee we will:

• Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor or paralegal to work on your matter
• Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators
• Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require
• Draft the Legal Statement (Probate application) for you to sign
• Make the application to the Probate Registry on your behalf
• Obtain the Grant and send you the agreed number of official copies.

 How long will this take?

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 5 months from date of instruction to sending you the grant.

We can help you by obtaining the Grant of Probate on your behalf. This is a grant only service and you will remain responsible for dealing with all other aspects relating the administration of the estate.

 Our costs:

TOTAL: fixed fee of £1,800 (incl. VAT) plus disbursements plus Inheritance Tax

Breakdown of costs:

• Legal fees £1,500
• VAT on legal fees £300

Disbursements:

• Probate application fee of £300, plus £1.50 for each additional official copy of the grant

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.

The amount of inheritance tax will depend upon the value of the estate.

What will we do?

You will provide us with the financial information we need to calculate the inheritance tax payable on the estate, to set up an inheritance tax reference for the estate, advise you on the options for payment of the inheritance tax, arrange the probate application on your behalf. Once the grant has been issued, we will send it to you so that you can deal with the remainder of the administration of the estate.

As part of our fixed fee we will:

• Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor or paralegal to work on your matter
• Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators
• Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require
• Calculate the amount of any inheritance tax due
• Apply for an IHT reference number
• Advise you on the methods for funding the inheritance tax
• Complete the Legal Statement (Probate Application) and the relevant HMRC forms
• Liaise with you to arrange payment of the inheritance tax
• Make the application to the Probate Registry on your behalf
• Obtain the grant and send you the agreed number of official copies.

How long will this take?

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 6 months from date of instruction to sending you the grant.