Our full Estate Administration service typically includes the following:
Provide you with a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor or specialist
Verify the validity of the Will
Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries
Identify the type of probate application required
Ascertain the value of the estate for Probate and Inheritance Tax (“IHT”) purposes
Prepare the relevant HMRC account
Calculate and arrange payment of any Inheritance Tax due
Prepare and submit the application for the Grant (Grant of Probate / Letters of Administration / Letters of Administration with Will annexed)
Respond to any enquiries HMRC may raise (excluding a full compliance check, if raised)
Respond to any enquiries from the Probate Court
Receive the Grant and register it with relevant institutions
Encash assets or transfer them to beneficiaries as required (our Property team will quote separately for any transfer or sale of estate property)
Settle estate liabilities and expenses from estate funds
Review the estate’s IHT position and, if appropriate, pay additional tax or claim any refund
Obtain formal IHT clearance from HMRC where required
Ensure the deceased’s income tax and capital gains tax affairs are compliant during the administration period
Prepare Estate Accounts and income statements for beneficiaries where required
Undertake bankruptcy searches on beneficiaries
Pay all legacies
Distribute the remainder of the estate to the residuary beneficiaries
Our typical fees, services and timescales for probate applications and estate administration are set out below, in line with the SRA Transparency Rules. These relate to uncontested estates where all assets are in the UK. We will always provide a tailored estimate once we have sufficient information about the estate.
Will present + No IHT payable
Typical timescale: 3 months
Typical fees (from): £1,250
No Will + No IHT payable
Typical timescale: 6 months
Typical fees (from): £1,500
Will present + IHT payable
Typical timescale: 3 months
Typical fees (from): £2,500
No Will + IHT payable
Typical timescale: 6 months
Typical fees (from): £3,000
Will present + No IHT payable
Typical timescale: 6–12 months
Typical fees (from): £2,000
No Will + No IHT payable
Typical timescale: 12 months
Typical fees (from): £2,250
Will present + IHT payable
Typical timescale: 9 months – 2 years
Typical fees (from): £4,000
No Will + IHT payable
Typical timescale: 1–2 years
Typical fees (from): £4,500
Our fees for dealing with estates not liable to Inheritance Tax will usually be lower than for taxable estates.
Other factors that can affect our fees include:
The number of assets
Whether there are foreign, agricultural, business or digital assets to administer
The number of beneficiaries, and whether we need to trace them
Any disputes between beneficiaries or executors
The condition of the Will and how clearly it sets out the distribution of the estate
These are typical third-party costs we may have to pay on your behalf. We will ask you for funds on account to cover anticipated expenses where the estate is not yet in funds.
Probate application court fee: £300 + £16 per additional copy
Land Registry Office Copy Entries: £7 + VAT per title required
UK bankruptcy search: £6 + VAT per beneficiary
Overseas bankruptcy search: dependent on country of residence
Advertisements (to help protect against unexpected claims from unknown creditors):
London Gazette: approximately £85 + VAT
Local newspaper: variable
All fees and disbursements quoted in this document are exclusive of VAT where applicable.
We will advise you of the likely timescale to complete the Grant application and the administration of the estate at the outset of the matter. Any timescale will depend heavily on HMRC and Probate Registry processing times, which can vary considerably. We will keep you updated and explain any changes to expected timescales or fees.
Your matter will be handled by our specialist Wills, Trusts and Probate team which collectively has over 75 years’ experience and a strong reputation in dealing with high-value and agricultural estates.
David Lane – Director
Tracey Lane – Associate Director
Rebecca Head – Associate Director
Satnaam Kaur – Senior Associate
Abigail Booth – Associate
Abigail Dayman – Associate
Makhan Baryana – Solicitor
Director: £365 + VAT
Associate Director: £300 + VAT
Senior Associate: £285 + VAT
Associate: £270 + VAT
Solicitor: £250 + VAT
Legal Assistant: £170 + VAT
Each estate is different. Once we have discussed the estate with you and reviewed the key paperwork (for example the Will and asset information), we will provide a personalised fee estimate and will always keep you updated if our estimate needs to be revised as the matter progresses.
