Probate & Estate Administration Price Information

PROBATE & ESTATE ADMINISTRATION

How much will my Probate cost?

We can either obtain the Probate for you and let you deal with collecting and distributing the assets (known as administration of the estate) or we can do the whole thing for you.

Applying for Probate Only

To just obtain the Grant of Probate for a simple estate not requiring an Inheritance Tax return, our fees and disbursements are as follows:

• Probate application                                                                    £925 + VAT at 20%
• Anti Money Laundering & Client Identification Charge              £  30 + VAT at 20%
• Court Fee                                                                                   £300

Applying for Probate when a detailed Inheritance Tax return is required

On a larger estate requiring a detailed Inheritance Tax return, or where Inheritance Tax is payable, our fees and disbursements are as follows:

• Probate application and inheritance Tax Return                        £2,500 plus VAT at 20%

• Anti Money Laundering & Client Identification Charge              £  30 + VAT at 20%
• Court Fee                                                                                   £300

However, if any additional Inheritance Tax reliefs need to be claimed, we charge an extra £350 plus VAT at 20% for the work needed to claim each one

Applying for Probate, dealing with inheritance tax and collecting and distributing the assets

Where we provide a complete service, deal with the Probate application and inheritance tax return (where needed) and also administer the estate for  you, our charges for the estate administration part of the work will be calculated on an hourly rate between £132 and £272 per hour plus VAT at 20% depending on the experience of the fee earner needed to handle the work.

A typical case might, for example, take between 15 and 30 hours to complete and this would make the total cost of this part of the work between £4,000 and £8,500 (+ VAT at 20%) and third-party costs (known as disbursements) of about £306 to £309.

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.

The above estimate assumes that we will handle the full process for you and is for an estate where:

•          There is a valid will
•          There is no more than one property
•          There are no more than 2 bank or building society accounts
•          There are no other intangible assets
•          There are up to 3 beneficiaries
•          There are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
•          A full inheritance tax account isn't needed and no tax is due
•          There are no claims made against the estate

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. Disbursements included in this fee (where applicable VAT is included at 20%):

•          Probate application fee of £300 plus £1.50 for each extra copy
•          Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary)
•          Statutory Notice in The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors at £80 plus VAT
•          Statutory Notice in a Local Newspaper – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims and is typically around £250 plus VAT

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 £1.50 each.

Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included in this estimate.

How long will this take?

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 6-12 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 16 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take 6-12 months. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets.

What do we do?

We will (depending on the work you have asked us to do):

•        meet with you and take instructions on your Probate case
•        gather in all the necessary documents and information from you
•        prepare the Will, Power of Attorney or Grant of Probate
•        advise you on the detail of the documents and the next steps
•        complete the documents and apply to the Court where necessary
•        administer the estate where you have asked us to do so

Are There Any Additional Charges?

There may be, as not everything is usual or straightforward. The most common extra charges (including VAT) are for unexpected issues such as Inheritance Tax and the Variation of an Estate.  

If additional work is required and this will incur further costs, we will discuss with you why it is necessary and what options may be open to you before agreeing a fee for that work or carrying out the additional work.

Who will do my work?

Your work will be carried out by one of our team. Usually the person who provides you with your personalised quote.

They will be your main point of contact and are there for you throughout the transaction.  They are supervised by Steven Whiting who is our Head of Department.

Our legal advisors include qualified Solicitors, Chartered Legal Executives and Trainee Legal Executives. To find out more about our team members, click here.

As well as Hull, we have offices in both Cottingham and now Welton where we are bringing city centre services to your local community; with easier parking and Welton being just off the A63 what could be easier?