Probate Solicitor Fees

Probate Solicitor Fees

We provide probate services on both a fixed fee and hourly rate basis depending on the complexity of your matter. For simple matters such as applying for a Grant of Probate, the service is provided on a fixed fee. On more complex matters relating to the distribution of assets we will provide you with an estimate of our fees based on the circumstances of your case.

Grant of Probate

We can help you through this difficult process by obtaining the Grant of Probate on your behalf. We can simply obtain the Grant for you or we can provide additional administration services at a further cost.

How Much Does This Service Cost?

We offer a fixed fee of £762.50 to obtain the Grant of Probate only.

Breakdown of costs:

• Legal fees £500
• VAT on legal fees £100.00
• Disbursements £162.50 Court fee only (plus 5 copies)

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 fixed 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
• Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf
• Obtain the Probate and securely send copies to you

How Long Will it Take?

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 6-8 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 8-12 weeks. Before this can happen you must investigate the value of the estate and this can take 4-6 weeks depending on the amount of assets in the estate. Once the grant is obtained we can then release this to you. If additional services are required we can assist in doing so and can provide a further timeframe at the time of taking instructions.

We can also assist you in distributing the assets after we obtain the Grant for you. If you require this service, we will provide you with a quote for our fees based on the estate, assets involved and the amount of beneficiaries.

Applying for the Grant, Collecting and Distributing the Assets

We anticipate this will take between 10 and 30 hours work at £200 per hour plus disbursements. Total costs estimated at £2,000 – £6,000 (plus VAT and 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 6 bank or building society accounts
• There are no other intangible assets
• There are up to 5 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

Disbursements Included in this Fee:

• Probate application fee of £155 plus £1.50 per copy
• Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary)
• £80 – £100 (approx.) Post in The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
• £120 – £350 (approx.) 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 quote once we have more information.
• If any additional copies of the grant are required after the Grant has been issued, they will cost £10 each. The additional cost f a Grant at the application stage is £1.50 per copy (1 per asset usually).
• 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 6-8 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 8-12 weeks. Before this can happen you must investigate the value of the estate and this can take 4-6 weeks depending on the amount of assets in the estate. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 4-6 weeks. Once this has been done, we can distribute the asset, which normally takes 4-6 weeks. We would not advise the distribution of an estate until the expiry of 6 months after the date of the Grant of probate to allow the legal time frame for any clams to be brought against the estate. We would also not advise the distribution of the estate until the legal notices have expired.

Our Wills, Trusts and Probate team

Our team has over 50 years of collective experience in delivering high quality work in all matters relating to Wills, Estate Administration, Lasting Powers of Attorneys, Deputyship Applications, Trusts and Inheritance Tax advice. The team has particular expertise in high value estates and inheritance tax matters.

We have seven members of the team who may work on your matter. Regardless of who works on your matter, they will be supervised by Siobhan Cribbin Head of Wills & Probate.