Probate – Our Charges

Probate – Our Charges

Initial Advice

FREE

We offer a free initial consultation where we can discuss your Probate needs and concerns and whether we can help you.

Applying for the grant, collecting and distributing the assets

In a typical case, we would anticipate this will take between 10 and 20 hours work at £250.00 per hour plus VAT at 20%. Total costs estimated at – £3,000.00-£6,000.00 (inclusive of VAT).

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 no more than one property
• There are no more than 10 bank or building society accounts
• There are no other intangible assets
• There are no international 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 as of 1st October 2023 for estates valued over £5,000.00 is £273.00   There is no fee if the estate is £5,000.00 or less

Extra copies of probate document is usually required.  The cost is £1.50 per sealed copy of the Grant of Probate (usually maximum of 10 copies).  This means you can send them to different organisations at the same time.

Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary)

£300 to advertise in The London Gazette & the local newspaper – protects 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.

Potential additional costs

Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.

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, they will cost £1.50 each (1 per asset usually).

As part of our fee we will

Collect and distribute all assets in the estate

Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor who is also a member of The Society of Trust & Estates Practitioners 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 of truth for you to sign

Make the application to the Probate Registry on your behalf