There is nothing cheerful about thinking about death and making a will but we try our best to make the process as easy and understandable as possible.
There are significant financial benefits in having a will, particularly if you own property or have children. It can also be easier for relatives if your wishes are known.
If you have not done so already, please do think about making a will or updating your existing will if your circumstances have changed.
The process of administering an estate when someone dies can be distressing and is often a lengthy procedure. If you are an Executor of a Will or Trust and require some extra help, our friendly and professional service may be of interest to you.
We are also pleased to discuss your tax planning requirements with you.
We charge a fee of £250.00 plus VAT for a simple Will and £450.00 plus VAT for ‘mirror’ Wills. Complex Wills are charged on the time spent.
We are also pleased to discuss your tax planning requirements with you.
The process of administering an estate when someone dies can be distressing and is often a lengthy procedure. If you are an Executor of a Will or Trust and require some extra help, our friendly and professional service may be of interest to you.
Our probate team consists of Christopher Key, Jackie Carslaw and Molly Painter.
We can help you through this difficult process. As part of our work 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 Statement of Truth for the Executors to sign.
Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf.
Obtain the Probate and securely send two copies to you.
Collect and distribute all assets in the estate.
On average, Estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 4 to 18 months. Typically, obtaining the Grant of Probate takes 2 to 6 months. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 3 to 6 months. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes a further 3 to 6 months.
The exact cost of Administering an Estate varies depending on the individual circumstances of that Estate. We always discuss fees at the outset of the matter so that the Executors can get a clear picture of what the costs and disbursements are likely to be. Our hourly charging rate is £250.00 per hour plus VAT and we estimate about 10 to 20 hours work on smaller Estates. For larger Estates, with assets exceeding 1 million our fees are usually based on the value of the Estate assets – we charge 1% of the gross value of the assets plus VAT. This includes: obtaining the Grant, collecting assets and distributing them.
Disbursements
Probate court fee of £215.00.
Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary).
Post in The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors – approximately £100.00
Post in a Local Newspaper – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims – approximately £60.00
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.
Please note our charges do not include dealing with the sale or transfer of any property.
We would recommend that you telephone the office on 01840 250200 and speak to Christopher Key, who will be pleased to talk to you in further detail.