Probate

Price Guide for Probate work

All probate matters are different. In every case we ensure we work closely with the family and personal representatives to provide clear advice and guidance on what needs to be done, how long this will take and how much it will cost.

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.

For a straightforward probate matter our fees would be likely to be in the region of £2,000 – £4,000 + VAT.

The above fee range is for estates where:

• There is a valid will
• There is no more than one property
• There are no more than 4 bank or building society accounts
• There are no other intangible assets
• There are 1-4 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

The above fees all dependent upon the valuations of assets being supplied otherwise if having to obtain date of death valuations a separate quote is required.

Where the estate is subject to inheritance tax and we need to submit a full account to HMRC, but the probate is otherwise broadly regarded as straightforward (i.e. most of the points above still apply, except tax), our fees are likely to be in the region of £5,000 – £8,000 + VAT.

Where the estate is subject to inheritance tax and the matter is otherwise complex or with an international element, meaning it is not a straightforward estate, our fees are likely to be in excess of £10,000 + VAT.

Disbursements are not included in this fee and could be as follows:

• Probate application fee – In England and Wales, the application fee for probate is currently £273 if the value of the estate is £5,000 or over. There’s no fee if the estate is under £5,000. £1.50 for each copy of the grant of Probate
• Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2.00 per beneficiary)
• £84.60 Post in The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
• £300.00 Post in a Local Newspaper – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims.

*NB – please note all prices quoted are subject to VAT @ 20%.

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We can handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

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 £0.50 per asset usually.
• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.

Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 3-6 months. With more complicated probate it takes 3-9 months to obtain a grant. Collecting assets then follows, which can take 6-9 months. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 2-4 weeks.