Applying for the grant, collecting and distributing the assets
Our fee will typically be between £800 and £2,400 and VAT.
The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property, costs will be at the lower end of the range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end.
We will handle the full process for you. This quote is for estates where:
- There is a valid will
- There is no more than one property
- There are no more than 10 bank or building society accounts
- There are no other intangible assets
- There are no more than 6 beneficiaries
- There are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
- There is no inheritance tax payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC
- There are no claims made against the estate
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. The disbursements are in addition to our fee and we have no control over the amount of the disbursements charged.
- Probate application fee of £155
- £7 Swearing of the oath (per executor)
- Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£1 per name searched)
- £200 Post in The London Gazette and in a Local Newspaper – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
The total disbursements in a probate matter will therefore typically be £370.
Potential additional costs
If there is no will or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there is likely to be additional costs that could range significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be dealt with. We can give you a more accurate quote once we have more information.
If any additional copies of the grant are required, they will cost 50 pence each (1 per asset usually).
Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.
How long will this take?
On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 3 to 6 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 6 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 4 to 6 weeks. Once this has been done, we can pay the liabilities in the estate and distribute the assets.
In a typical probate matter we will:
- Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor with experienced support staff to work on your matter
- Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries
- Accurately identify the type of Probate application you will require
- Collate information about the nature and extent of the estate
- Complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms
- Draft a legal oath (or statement of truth) for you to swear
- Make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf
- Obtain the Probate and appropriate number of official copies
- Deal with liabilities in the estate
- Prepare the estate account
- Collect and distribute all assets in the estate
Applying for the grant only
You may wish us to apply for the grant of probate or letters of administration only and you will deal with the administration of the estate yourself (or subsequently decide that you wish us to deal with that also). In cases where no Inheritance Account (IHT400) needs to be submitted and where there’s either a will or there is a close surviving relative who is entitled to apply for the grant in the absence of a will (under the rules of intestacy), we can usually provide this service for a fee in the range of £400 to £800 and VAT.
The following disbursements will be payable, namely:
- Probate application fee of £155
- £7 Swearing of the oath (per executor)
Probate Charges – Inheritance Tax Account required
Where the value of the estate is comparatively high (typically in excess of £1m) it may be necessary to complete a full Inheritance Tax Account in which detailed information about the estate must be given, including details of gifts made during the deceased’s life and periods of ownership of assets.
We will advise you if it is necessary to complete the Inheritance Tax Account. Completion of the Account entails significant additional work. If Inheritance tax may be payable additional work will be involved in calculating the tax and arranging for payment, as any tax due must be paid before the grant of probate will be issued. Consideration will need to be given to any exemptions or reliefs which may be available.
Where an Inheritance Tax Account is required our fee will include a value element in addition to the element of our fee based on time spent dealing with the matter. The value element, in accordance with Law Society guidelines, will be up to 1% of the value of the estate, excluding the deceased’s main residence, and 0.5% of the deceased’s main residence. We will not necessarily charge the full value element in all cases: the amount of the value element will depend upon a number of factors including: whether the estate included agricultural or business assets; whether there are foreign or unusual assets; the existence of any trusts; the need to calculate reliefs and exemptions; and the number of beneficiaries.
In such cases we will provide a bespoke fee estimate when the nature and extent of the estate are known. However, the total costs in a case where an Inheritance Tax Account must be submitted (and where the value of the estate is between £1m and £2m) will typically be in the region of £2,200 and £6,000 and VAT and disbursements. The disbursements will include the disbursements listed above and will usually also include professional valuation fees.