Costs and Service Information - Uncontested Probate (with all assets in the UK)
The death of a loved one is a painful and difficult time for everyone affected. However, the situation can be even more stressful for relatives who are tasked with handling the paperwork and administration that needs to be completed when someone dies.
If you have suffered the loss of a relative or a loved one, JMW Solicitors can help to make the probate and estate administration process as stress-free as possible. We are highly-experienced in this area of the law, and are dedicated to providing a professional and understanding service at this difficult time.
We have extensive experience in dealing with complex and international estates, and provide joined-up advice to the family in terms of wider tax and succession planning.
Get in touch with our experienced and knowledgeable solicitors today by calling 0345 872 6666 or complete an online enquiry form and we will be in touch at a time that is suitable for you.
Prices
Please note that there will be two elements to the prices as set out below:
- Fees charged by JMW; and
- Fees payable to third parties.
Please ensure that you consider both parts of the price information.
Fees charged by JMW
| Fee type | Fee | VAT (charged at 20%) | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal fee * | £5,000 - £10,000 | £1,000 - £2,000 | £6,000 - £12,000 |
| Electronic ID check (per executor) | £20.00 | £4.00 | £24.00 |
| Bank telegraphic transfer fee | £15.00 | £3.00 | £18.00 |
| International bank telegraphic transfer fee | £35.00 | £7.00 | £42.00 |
| * basis of charging = hourly rate. | |||
| The fee quoted is based on 15 – 30 hours to complete the work at an hourly rates ranging from £100 - £425 + VAT |
This fee example is based on an estate 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 10 beneficiaries;
- There are no disputes between beneficiaries on the division of assets;
- 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; and
- All assets and liabilities comprising the estate are based in the UK.
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. Similarly, if inheritance tax is payable this will increase the amount of work required and additional charges will be levied.
If dealing with the estate involves extra, unforeseen work, additional fees will be payable. In such cases, we will agree a fixed fee or provide a fee estimate based on the hourly rates of the lawyers handling the estate.
Fees payable to third parties (‘disbursements’)
| Disbursement | Fee | VAT (charged at 20%) | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Probate application fee | £273.00 | N/A | £273.00 |
| Additional sealed copies of Grant of Probate (usually obtain 5 copies) | £7.75 | N/A | £7.75 |
| Post in the London Gazette or in a local newspaper | £200.00 | N/A | £200.00 |
| HMLR Office Copy entry | £3.00 | £0.60 | £3.60 |
| Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per search) | £2.00 | £0.40 | £2.40 |
| SUBTOTAL | £486.75 |
Work included and key stages
Our fees include obtaining the grant of probate, collecting assets and distributing them. The precise work and stages involved in a probate matter vary according to the circumstances. However, we have set out the key stages involved in a typical probate matter:
- Take your instructions and give you initial advice.
- Identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries.
- Establish the extent of the estate by identifying the various assets and liabilities.
- Identify the type of probate application required.
- The application for Grant of Probate is prepared and then sworn by the executor and submitted to the appropriate Probate Registry together with the Will, if there is one.
- Once the Grant is received, it is submitted to the various organisations with whom assets are held in order to start the process of transferring the assets into the beneficiaries’ names.
- All estate liabilities have to be paid before the estate can be distributed among the beneficiaries;
- Confirmation is required that tax is paid up to date and there are no outstanding HMRC claims;
- Estate accounts should be prepared thereafter, and the estate distributed in accordance with the terms of the Will.
Services excluded
Our service (within the fee example given above) will not include any of the following:
- Any contested probate matters or advice on the same.
- Advice on tax or other accounting matters (with the exception of inheritance tax).
- Advice on assets held outside of the UK.
- Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate.
- Dealing with the on-going management of trusts created within the Will or the management of any trusts connected to the deceased
- Advice around the suitability and creation of other deeds such as deeds of disclaimer or deeds of variation
Approximate/ average timescales
On average, estates that fall within this quote range are dealt with within 6 – 9 months.
Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 4 – 12 weeks.
Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 4 – 6 weeks.
Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 2 – 4 weeks.
Factors that could increase costs
In some circumstances we may increase our fees to account for additional time, work or skill required to meet your instructions. Examples include:
- 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.
- If any additional copies of the grant are required.
Qualifications and experience of our team
Our team has over 20 years of collective experience in delivering high quality work in all matters relating to wills and estate administration. They have particular expertise in high value estates and inheritance tax matters.
We have 13 members of the team who may work on your matter. Regardless of who works on your matter, they will be supervised by a Partner within the department.
