Our experienced team will, in most instances, be able to obtain a Grant of Representation for you within four to six months of being instructed.

Our specialist and experienced team will often be able to carry out the work on your matter for a competitive fixed fee. For work that cannot be carried out for an agreed fixed fee, we charge an hourly rate, so the total amount you will pay will depend on who works on your matter and how long it takes. We provide an estimate of total charges from the outset, as well as regular costs updates each month, so that you are always informed in relation to our charges so that you have full transparency and peace of mind.

Below is an illustration of the cost of our Probate and Estate administration service. Our full Estate administration service includes valuing the estate by contacting all asset and liability providers on your behalf, either a declaration for Inheritance Tax purposes for excepted estates, or completion of the full Inheritance Tax form (IHT400 and schedules) for more complex estates. This includes preparation and submission of the application to the Probate Registry to obtain the Grant.

Each Estate is unique in its assets, beneficiaries, and other aspects. However, as a guideline, for a simple Estate, for example, a house worth £200,000 and two bank accounts with a combined value of £40k, being left in a straightforward Will to two adult children where there is no conflict, our fixed fee for carrying out the full Estate administration would be £5,500 plus VAT and expenses.

Timescales to complete the Estate administration are heavily linked to those of HMRC and the Probate Registry, however, we would expect a straightforward Estate to be administered within 9 to 12 months.

This illustration is for Estates where:

• There is a valid and straightforward Will;
• There is no more than one property;
• There are no more than 3 bank or building society accounts;
• There are no other intangible assets;
• There are no more than 3 beneficiaries;
• There are no disputes or claims.

This illustration is not for Estates where:

• The person who has died was domiciled abroad or where there are foreign assets;
• There is more than one property;
• There are business or agricultural properties/assets;
• There are intangible assets;
• Beneficiaries need to be traced;
• There are more than 3 beneficiaries;
• Claiming the residence nil rate band or the application to transfer the nil rate band and/or residence nil rate band;
• Completion of income tax returns or formalities;
• Capital gains tax advice and returns;
• Trusts;
• There are disputes or claims.

Where there are a significant number of assets to be managed, international elements, business or unusual assets, or a large number of beneficiaries to be verified, the administration of the Estate can take much longer. 

To handle the full administration of an estate worth in excess of £2million with multiple properties and financial assets, our fixed fee can be in the region of £35,000 plus VAT and expenses. Timescales are dependent on third parties such as HMRC and the Probate Registry and will also depend on how long it takes for property to sell, however, complex estates generally take around 12 to 24 months to be administered.

We offer a free initial meeting in all Probate matters to establish the advice you need and the work which we need to carry out. We are then able to provide a fixed fee based on the circumstances, so that you know what our total costs will be from the outset. We will let you know if we are unable to offer a fixed fee and instead provide a fee estimate based on our hourly rates.

• Will/intestacy verification;
• Identifying the executors and beneficiaries;
• Full asset and liability enquiries;
• Information gathering and valuations;
• Calculating and managing payment of inheritance tax, and preparation of the relevant Inheritance Tax Return;
• Preparing and applying for the Grant of Representation (Probate or Letters of Administration);
• Collecting in the estate assets and paying debts;
• Finalising the tax position (inheritance tax, income tax and capital gains tax);
• Preparation of full Estate accounts;
• Finalising and distributing the Estate.

There are additional services and disbursements you may need during the administration of the
estate, which are not included in our fixed fee:

• Conveyancing – transfer or sale of property
• Tax advice – we cannot provide tax advice and will refer you to an appropriate professional
  where this is needed
• Financial advice – we are not authorised to provide financial advice and will always
  recommend that you obtain independent guidance from an appropriate specialist.

There are always charges payable to third parties and the most common expenses are:

1. Probate application fee - £300
2. Court sealed copies of the Grant - £16 each
3. Sealed and certified copy of the Grant – if assets are held abroad, you may need one of
these - £16 each
4. HM Land Registry – Office Copies for each property, if required - £7 each
5. Placing s.27 notices/obtaining appropriate insurance – between £250 and £600, depending
on the circumstances of the estate
6. Bankruptcy searches - £6 per executor and beneficiary
7. National Will Register search - £105 plus VAT
8. Financial Asset Search (strongly recommended in taxable estates) - £195 plus VAT

There may also be other expenses, for instance those associated with valuing assets such as property and shares or administering assets abroad. We will always request your authority before incurring any expenses on your behalf and we will ensure that you have full transparency on disbursements.

All our charges are subject to VAT (currently 20%). If you are outside scope of UK VAT, you may not need to pay this.