A guide to our costs for providing Probate services
We work with our clients to provide the best service for them to suit their individual needs.
In some cases we can provide a fixed fee service for the work in particular where we are providing the Grant only service.
FULL ESTATE SERVICE
We can offer a full estate service where we will handle the full process for you. This is known as assisting you with the administration of the estate.
This includes the following:
- Establishing the value of and dealing with assets such as building society accounts, bank accounts, investment portfolios and shares
- Establishing the value and dealing with liabilities
- Completing the relevant tax documentation
- Preparing the oath and associated documents for the application for the Grant
- Assisting you with dealing with valuing the property, please note a separate conveyancing fee will be provided for the sale of a property
- Communicating with the beneficiaries
- Paying legacies
- Managing risk for the Personal Representatives by dealing with Trustee Act Notices and bankruptcy searches
- Ensuring inheritance is paid if due and all other taxes are cleared
- Making interim payments
- Preparing draft and final estate accounts
We have a banded charging rate
A – Directors, solicitors and legal executives with over 8 years’ experience
£300–£450
- £375 – Susie Roberts, Charlotte Pritchard, Paul Brocklehurst, Lindsay Harris
B – Solicitors and legal executives with over 4 years’ experience
£250–£300
- £300 – Grace Kennedy
- £300 – Zakkiya Azad (trainees but with 4+ years’ experience)
C – Other solicitors or legal executives with less than 4 years’ experience and Trainee solicitors, paralegals and other fee earners
£150–£250
- £250 – Jessica Chappell (trainee <4 years)
- £250 – Joy Marshall (legal adviser <4 years)
- £250 – Olivia Hulme
- £250 – Orla Hayes
- £250 – Cahner Walsh
D1 – Admin
- £150 – Edward Fowler
- £150 – Gillian Rodgers
- £150 – Michelle Corry
- £150 – Liv Mayor
- £150 – Karen Ackerley
E – Non chargeable
- Court Fee £300 and £16 per copy Probate
- Swearing fee £5 + £2 per exhibit
- Bankruptcy search fee £6
- A small estate will cost between £3850 + VAT -£7000 + VAT plus 1% uplift
- More complex estates £15000 -£30000 + VAT plus 1 % uplift
Potential additional costs
- If a disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
- If there are claims made against the estate this is likely to lead to additional costs.
- If there are additional statements required for the Probate court such as affidavit of due execution
- The cost of the conveyancing for dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.
How long will this take?
It is difficult to predict how long estates can take to deal with as they are subject to various factors. For example a house sale, taxation clearance. On average estates can take between 12 months and 48 months.
GRANT ONLY SERVICE
We are more than happy to discuss a fixed fee option with our clients in relation to obtaining the Grant only. This is based upon the information provided by the client and depends on such matters as to whether there is tax to pay, transferable nil rate band available, the number and type of assets to be declared.
- £995 + VAT ( for an estate where no IHT is due)
- Probate Court fee £300 plus £16 per copy will
- NB “…we aim to obtain the Grant within twelve weeks of the client providing full instructions.”
This service includes completion of the relevant tax documentation and the oath and other documents required to obtain the Grant of Probate or Grant of Letters of Administration.
How long will this take?
For estates where there is an Excepted estate we aim to obtain the Grant within 4 weeks of the clients providing full instructions. For estates where the full IHT400 account is necessary we aim to obtain the Grant within 8 weeks. However please note this is subject to payment of IHT and any delays created by a backlog at HMRC or the Probate court.
