What we do

We will handle the full process of the administration of the Estate for you from applying for the Grant of Probate/Letters of Administration to distributing the Estate. This would normally include:

• Initial appointment(s) to obtain information about the family and the Estate, such as details of assets and liabilities and details of relatives and other beneficiaries.

• If there is a Will, reviewing the same to ensure it is valid and to advise on any issues that could arise in the administration of the Estate.

• Obtaining valuations of the assets and liabilities and preparing a schedule of them. If tax is payable, a professional valuation may be needed.

• Arranging the payment of funeral expenses.

• Preparing HM Revenue and Customs returns or full Inheritance tax account, depending on the nature and value of the Estate.

• Preparing the Legal Statement for the Court.

• Calculating and arranging for the payment of any Inheritance tax due on the estate. We will advise on the Inheritance tax reliefs available to the Estate to minimise the tax payable.

• Applying to the Probate Registry (Court) for the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration.

• Preparing the forms to close accounts and sell or transfer shares, investments and other assets.

• On receipt of the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration, registering it with the asset holders (banks etc) and dealing with the closure of accounts and sale or transfer of investments.

• Settling the liabilities of the Estate.

• Dealing with the payment or transfer of any gifts in the Will.

• Settling any tax liabilities, such as income tax and capital gains tax, which arise in the administration period. These may occur on the disposal of assets. We can also advise on the mitigation of such taxes.

• Placing statutory notices in the London Gazette and local newspaper to protect against claims, if appropriate.

• Advising on the steps to take to protect against claims on the estate.

• Obtaining indemnity insurances for Executors or Administrators.

• Preparing estate accounts, detailing all the assets and liabilities of the Estate.

• Distributing the Estate.

Our fees

Our charges are based on the time spent, usually, at the hourly rate of £272 plus VAT.  

We can give you an estimate of the overall costs once we have details of the Estate. We can agree an upper limit with you and will keep you informed of the costs as the administration progresses. We will normally raise an interim invoice shortly after we receive the Grant of Probate/Letters of Administration and a final invoice on completion. Our charges and expenses and/or disbursements are settled from Estate funds and are not payable by the Executor personally.

We are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and thus our costs must be “fair and reasonable having regard to all the circumstances of the case”.

Here are some examples of how much you might expect our charges to be if we deal with the full administration of the Estate for you:

• Typical estate value of £250,000 - £350,000 including a property and accounts with two or three banks or building societies and National Savings and investments premium bonds, where there is a Will with one to five beneficiaries – our charges are likely to range from £2,500 to £4,500 plus VAT.

• Typical estate value of about £400,000 - £500,000, where no inheritance tax is due – our charges are likely to range from £3,500 to £5,500 plus VAT. If inheritance tax is due the charges are likely to range from £4,500 to £6,500 plus VAT.

• For an estate valued at over £500,000 but less than £1,000,000 we would expect the overall cost to be between 1% and 2% of the gross value of the estate.

• For estates above £1,000,000 we would need to give you an individual quotation.

Please note the exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter, such as the complexity of the estate and the nature of the Will. For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property, the costs will be at the lower end of the range. If there are a few beneficiaries, a property and multiple accounts, costs are likely to be at the higher end of the range.

Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included in these examples but a separate quote can be obtained from our property team if required and will usually be based on the value of the property being sold. 

If we are acting as an Executor under the Will, the hourly rate may be higher than this to take into consideration the additional risk and work involved. However, you will be advised of this at our initial meeting.

Expenses and disbursements

Expenses are costs we incur in delivering our services to you and are subject to VAT. Estimated expenses are:

• Will Search fee (if required) - £95 plus VAT

• Bankruptcy searches - £2 plus VAT (per beneficiary)

• Land Registry fee for copy of title (if applicable) - £3 plus VAT (per title document)

• Statutory notices advertising (if required) - £220 plus VAT (approximately)

Disbursements are costs which we pay to a third party on behalf of the estate. Estimated disbursements are:

• Probate application fee - £300 (includes two copies of the probate document) plus £1.50 for each additional copy of the probate document ordered

If self-assessment income tax returns are required, we may instruct an accountant to complete these as we find this is often more cost effective and these costs will be additional to our costs quoted above.

If Inheritance tax is payable it may also be necessary to obtain a surveyor’s valuation, and this will be charged separately. 

If the estate consists of any shareholdings there could be additional costs for dealing with the sale or transfer of those and indemnity costs if share certificates cannot be found.

How long does it usually take?

The key stages for dealing with the full administration of an estate are:

1. Weeks 1-6

   Making initial enquiries to obtain the information necessary to apply for the Grant/Letters of Administration and obtaining valuations

2. Weeks 7-8

   Preparing the probate application papers, including the HM Revenue and Customs forms and accounts and Legal Statement

3. Weeks 8-9

   Paying inheritance tax if due

4. Weeks 8-16
   (If no inheritance tax is due - these timescales would need to be extended by at least 3-4 weeks if inheritance tax is due)

   Submitting the inheritance tax account, applying for the Grant/Letters of Administration and receiving the Grant/Letters of Administration 

5. 4-6 weeks after stage 4,
   (Or may be longer if there is a property in the estate)

   Collecting in the assets including closing accounts and selling or transferring investments and other assets as required

6. 2 to 4 weeks after stage 5

   Settling liabilities and payment of legacies

7. 3 to 6 weeks after stage 6

   Preparation of estate accounts and distribution of the estate

Inheritance tax is normally paid prior to the probate application being made but if there is property in the estate, the inheritance tax can be paid in instalments over ten years or until the property is sold, if earlier. The final distribution of the estate may be delayed while inheritance tax clearance is obtained.

If the deceased received income other than from employment, pension or savings then it may be necessary to complete self-assessment returns and obtain clearance from HM Revenue and Customs. This will normally be done alongside the other aspects of the administration of the estate but the final distribution may be delayed until clearance is received.

What we do

If you prefer to deal with the administration yourself but would like us to handle the application for the Grant of Probate/Letters of Administration on your behalf, we can normally give a fixed fee quotation. In this case, you would make the initial enquiries to obtain the financial information required and we would then complete and submit the relevant HM Revenue & Customs inheritance tax return with accompanying Legal Statement.

Our fees

The following are examples of our charges where there are no other complicating factors such as foreign property, agricultural property, or business interests. We will review our charges with you before proceeding.

• Where there is a valid Will, no inheritance tax is payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HM Revenue and Customs - £850 plus VAT. 

• Where there is a valid Will, no inheritance tax is payable but a claim for the transferrable nil rate band is required to be made - £975 plus VAT.  

• Where there is a valid Will, no inheritance tax is payable but a full inheritance tax account is required - £1,250 - £1,500 plus VAT.  

• Where there is inheritance tax payable, and a full inheritance tax account is required - £1,500 - £2,000 plus VAT. 

If any additional work is carried out, it will be charged at the hourly rate of £220 per hour plus VAT.

Expenses and disbursements

In addition, the following expenses and disbursements are payable in each of the above circumstances:

• Disbursement: Probate application fee - £273 plus £1.50 per copy

• Expense: Land Registry fee for copy of title (if applicable) - £3 (per title document)

How long does it usually take?

If a full inheritance tax account is not required, it will normally take between one to two weeks to prepare the necessary paperwork, once we have received the financial information from you and between six to eight weeks to obtain the Grant of Probate, once the papers have been signed.

If a full inheritance tax account is required, it will normally take between two to three weeks to prepare the HM Revenue and Customs forms and Legal Statement, once we have received the financial information from you and between eight to ten weeks to obtain the Grant of Probate, once the papers have been signed.  

These timescales are based on the current guidelines issued from the Probate Registry and do vary depending on the circumstances.