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PROBATE INFORMATION AND COSTS

We offer a first free 30 minute meeting to enable us to give you initial advice at what is a very difficult time. At that meeting we will give you a quote for the cost of the work that we are to do for you if you would like us to apply for a Grant of Probate or deal with the estate for you.

Please contact Maxine Burke (mburke@moseleys.co.uk) or Jade Soady-Jones (jsoady-jones@moseleys.co.uk) to arrange a first free meeting.

We do not charge a percentage of the value of the estate for dealing with the estate. We only charge for the work that is actually done by us.


Our Probate Team

Maxine Burke is a very experienced solicitor and a Partner in the Firm. Jade Soady-Jones is also a solicitor with several years experience. Maxine and Jade always aim to provide a friendly and efficient service to their clients at this difficult time.


Application for a Grant of Probate only *

We can help you through this difficult process by preparing the paperwork necessary to apply for a Grant of Probate (or other Grant) for you with you then dealing with the collecting in and distributing of assets once we have obtained the Grant for you.


How much does this service cost?

If you provide us with the details of the assets and any other information that we need then our charges are likely to be in the region of £950 - £1250 plus VAT (of £190 - £250).

In addition there will be disbursements (costs to be paid to third parties) including:-

  • Probate Registry fee of £273.00 (plus £1.50 for every certified copy of the Grant required)
  • Fee of £3.00 plus VAT (£0.60) to obtain Official Copies of the Register from the Land Registry (if a property was owned by the deceased)

* If the estate is a taxable estate and it is necessary to complete a full Inheritance Tax return then our costs will be higher - £2,000 - £3,000 plus VAT (£400 - £600) plus the disbursements set out above.

Application for the Grant of Probate and Dealing with the Estate

The exact cost will depend upon the individual circumstances of the case. For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property the costs will be lower. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property or properties and multiple bank accounts, the costs will be higher.

The work we do in connection with dealing with an estate is charged at an hourly rate of between £220 - £240 plus VAT and is based on the time spent dealing with the estate. All work will be carried out by our solicitors Maxine Burke (who has over 15 years of post qualification experience) or Jade Soady-Jones (who has over 4 years of qualification experience and over 8 years of experience in all.)


What we will do for you

If you would like us to deal with the entire process for you we will:-
  • Explain the terms of the Will to you
  • Identify the legally appointed executors or if there is no Will advise on who is entitled to apply for a Grant of Administration to enable the estate to be dealt with
  • Identify the beneficiaries
  • Advise you as to the type of Probate application required
  • Obtain the relevant documents to apply for the Grant of Probate or Grant of Administration
  • Complete the Probate application and relevant HMRC forms
  • Make the application to the Probate Registry
  • Obtain the Grant of Probate and keep securely and obtain certified copies
  • Collect in all of the assets of the estate
  • Discharge any debts of the estate from the assets collected in
  • Liaise with the DWP, HMRC and other organisations
  • Prepare final estate accounts and distribute the estate in accordance with the Will or intestacy rules (if the person died without making a Will)

How much does this service cost?

We do not charge a percentage of the estate's value. We only charge for the amount of work that we do.

The cost depends upon the individual circumstances of the matter. The costs set out below are for guidance only. We will give you a proper estimate of the costs of the work that you want us to do for you at the beginning of your matter.

Example one
In cases where:-
  • there is a valid Will
  • there is no property
  • there are no more than two to three bank or building society accounts
  • there are no stocks and shares
  • there are no more than two to three beneficiaries
  • there are no problems identifying or finding beneficiaries
  • there is no dispute between any beneficiaries
  • there is no inheritance tax payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC
  • there are no claims against the estate
Our costs for dealing with the entire estate will be in the region of £1,500 - £2,500 plus VAT (of £300 - £500) In addition the following disbursements will be payable:-

Disbursements
  • Probate Registry fee of £273.00 (plus £1.50 for every certified copy of the Grant required)
  • Fee of £3.00 plus VAT to obtain Official Copies of the Register from the Land Registry (if a property was owned by the deceased)
  • Fee of between £175 - £275 to place adverts in London Gazette and the Deceased’s local paper to protect against unexpected claims from unknown creditors
  • Bankruptcy searches at a cost of £2 plus VAT per beneficiary.

Example two
In cases where:-
  • there is a valid Will
  • there is no more than one property
  • there are no more than five to ten bank or building society accounts
  • there are no stocks and shares
  • there are no more than ten beneficiaries
  • there are no problems identifying or finding beneficiaries
  • there is no dispute between any beneficiaries
  • there is no inheritance tax payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC
  • there are no claims against the estate
Our costs for dealing with the entire estate will be in the region of £3,500 - £6,000 plus VAT (of £700 - £1200) In addition the following disbursements will be payable:-

Disbursements
  • Probate Registry fee of £273.00 (plus £1.50 for every certified copy of the Grant required)
  • Fee of £3.00 plus VAT to obtain Official Copies of the Register from the Land Registry (if a property was owned by the deceased)
  • Fee of between £175 - £275 to place adverts in London Gazette and the Deceased's local paper to protect against unexpected claims from unknown creditors
  • Bankruptcy searches at a cost of £2 per beneficiary
If the property needs to be sold there will be costs to deal with the sale. There may also be Inheritance Tax to pay.


Inheritance Tax

If it is a taxable estate Inheritance Tax may also be payable. We can advise you about Inheritance Tax and the allowances available to you. For further information about Inheritance Tax you can visit https://www.gov.uk/inheritance-tax


How long will this take?

On average estates like the one in the example one are dealt with within two to four months (depending upon the individual circumstances of the case). Typically, obtaining the Grant of Probate (including gathering the information about the value of the assets and liabilities) can take up to 16 - 22 weeks. The collection of assets after the Grant of Probate has been obtained then follows which usually takes between one to two months. Once this has been done any debts can be paid and the estate accounts prepared and distribution of the estate to the beneficiaries can take place. This usually takes between one to two months.

On average estates like the one in example two are dealt with within six to eighteen months (depending upon the individual circumstances of the case). Typically, obtaining the Grant of Probate (including gathering the information about the value of the assets and liabilities) will take up to 16 - 22 weeks – although can be quicker if there are fewer assets. The collection of assets after the Grant of Probate has been obtained then follows which usually takes between two to four months (although this will often be longer of there is a property to sell). Once this has been done all debts can be paid and the estate accounts prepared and distribution of the estate to the beneficiaries can take place. This usually takes between two to three months.


More complicated estates

In cases which are more complicated we will consider matters fully with you and give you a costs and time estimate before we start dealing with the estate.