What is Probate?
Probate is the legal term used to describe the process of dealing with the affairs of someone who has passed away.
If you are appointed as the executor of somebody’s will or as an administrator for the estate of someone who has died without a will (intestate) you will be responsible for dealing with probate.
Our specialist probate team will advise you on all aspects of probate, including lasting power of attorney, and, if you want us to, can carry out the full administration on your behalf ensuring that you are not personally liable for any costs that may be incurred.
Our probate services are charged on a fixed fee basis, giving you peace of mind in relation to our fees. Please see our pricing policy here.
What is Intestate?
Intestacy rules state that, if you are the surviving spouse or civil partner, then you primarily have priority, but entitlement can be dependent on other factors. The rules detail a hierarchy of who should inherit in the first instance, and if that person should not survive the next relative down will inherit.
We will help you to navigate through the rules and discover who is entitled in the first instance, and what they are entitled to. We can manage essential tasks such as obtaining a grant from the court, and ensuring any liabilities to the estate are paid.
Intestate can be easily avoided by making a will. If you are considering making a will, you have the opportunity to dictate to a certain extent whom you would like to benefit from your estate.
To discuss your options, get in touch with our wills and probate team for more information.
Typical Costs
If the family assist and provide all the estate valuation information:
- £800 plus VAT when only a short form IHT205 is prepared
- £1,500 plus VAT when a short form IHT205 is prepared with an IHT217
- £2,500 plus VAT when a longer form IHT400 is prepared
Should you wish us to deal with the full administration of the estate we would envisage our fees to be between 2%-4% of the entire estate.
