Probate Fees

Applying for the grant, collecting and distributing the assets

We provide an expert service by experienced solicitors with specialist qualifications in the administration of estates.  Our aim is to ensure that the administration is completed smoothly and efficiently.  Our time spent varies from 10 to 50 hours.

Our Team

All team members dealing with Probate matters will be supervised by Samir Hussain who is a Partner and Head of Private Client. Please refer to the ‘About us’ section on our website for more information about the team including their qualifications and experience.

Costs Information

The precise cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. There are many different factors which affect the costs of administering an estate including:

• The extent and complexity of the assets in the estate particularly foreign assets
• If there is Inheritance Tax to pay and how that is to be funded
• The number of beneficiaries
• If there is a property that needs to be sold

Our estimate of costs is for estates where:

• There is a valid will
• There is no more than one property
• There are no more than 5 bank or building society accounts
• There are no other intangible assets
• There are up to 10 beneficiaries
• There are no disputes between beneficiaries
• There are no claims made against the estate

We can handle the full process for you. Our range of fees for the full administration of an estate as referred to above will vary from £1,500 to £20,000. This fee range does not include VAT, disbursements or Inheritance Tax (or any other taxes) that may be due on the estate. At the present time VAT is charged at 20%.

If you are willing to carry out the majority of the estate administration work yourself but need assistance with reporting the Estate to HMRC and the application for the Grant of Probate then we charge based on the time spent in carrying out that work. The hourly rate is £300 + VAT (which is 20% at present). We would usually estimate spending between 7 and 15 hours in carrying out the work depending on the complexity of the Estate.

VAT

VAT is charged at 20%. Where we refer to fees on this page, we refer to VAT exclusive fees and VAT should be added. Where applicable, we will charge VAT on third-party expenses incurred by us on your behalf.

Potential additional costs

• If there is no will or the estate includes any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there are likely to be additional costs that will largely depend on the estate and how it is to be dealt with. We can give you a more accurate estimate once we have more information.
• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included in our estimated costs above.

How long will the administration take?

On average, the administration of estates with the characteristics referred to above is completed within 9 to 18 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 4 to 6 months. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 4 to 8 weeks. Once this has been completed, we arrange payment of the debts of the estate and the balance of any Inheritance Tax and other taxes and distribute the assets, which normally takes 10 to 20 weeks but this depends on whether the Executors require clearance from HM Revenue & Customs prior to final distributions.

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs payable to third parties, such as probate fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. Disbursements during the administration of an estate may include:

• Probate Registry application fee of £300 plus £1.50 per sealed copy of the Grant of Probate (or Grant of Letters of Administration)
• Bankruptcy searches through the Land Charges Department at £2 per beneficiary
• Notices in the London Gazette and a local newspaper which protect you against unexpected claims from unknown creditors – the total cost of the notices is usually between £250 and £300.
• Lost assets search fee – £165 plus VAT (at a current rate of 20%).
• Search of the Certainty register for a Will – £95 plus VAT (at a current rate of 20%).