Our fixed fees for Probate Services
Probate & Estate Administration
Grant of Probate
How much does a Grant of Probate cost?
It can be a complicated and stressful experience having to administer a loved one’s affairs after they have died.
The Probate team at Russell & Russell are all very experienced and approachable, and can help to make the task as straightforward as possible.
We are able to offer you a fixed-fee quote for our services or a detailed quote for all of the tasks that are required. Unlike many solicitors, we do not charge fees based on the value of the estate.
Get in touch with our friendly and experienced solicitors today by calling 01204 399299 or complete an online enquiry form and we will be in touch at a time that is convenient for you.
PRICES
Please note that there will be two elements to the prices as set out below:
Fees charged by Russell & Russell; and
Fees payable to third parties.
Please ensure that you consider both parts of the price information.
FEES CHARGED BY RUSSELL & RUSSELL
FIXED FEES – PROBATE ONLY
If you would like us to simply obtain the Grant of Probate our fees will be from £750 + 20% vat (£150) (thus totalling £900 inclusive of VAT) to £995 + 20% vat (£199) (thus totalling £1,194 inclusive of VAT).
Estate Administration
How much does Administration of the Estate cost?
NON-FIXED FEES – ADMINISTRATION OF THE ESTATE
Our fees will be charged depending on the amount of work that you need us to complete and are based on the hourly rates of the individuals completing the work. You will be provided with a costs estimate by us at the beginning of the matter and we will keep you regularly updated regarding our fees.
A sample of our fees estimate is:
In a case where there is a will and the named executors are acting, with up to 4 bank accounts, no Inheritance Tax to pay, and up to 4 beneficiaries, our fees will be from £2,250 + 20% vat (£450) (thus totalling £2,700 inclusive of VAT) to £3,500 + 20% vat (£700) (thus totalling £4,200 inclusive of VAT).
For example based on the case noted above;
A Senior solicitor with over 8 years’ experience undertakes 9 hours of work at the rate of £225 per hour (£225 plus 20% VAT of £45) (totalling £2430)
A Trainee solicitor undertakes 1 hour at the rate of £150 per hour (£150 plus 20% VAT of £30) (totalling £180)
Disbursements as below (bankruptcy and AML) total £81.60
The total therefore would be £2667.60
Electronic bankruptcy check for all beneficiaries - £2 + 20% vat (40p) (thus totalling £2.40 inclusive of VAT)
AML and ID checks - £15 + 20% vat (£3) (thus totalling £18 inclusive of VAT) to be completed on all executors and beneficiaries of the estate.
Additional costs are the sales fees on properties, estate agency fees, any taxes and HMLR fees.
Factors that can increase the amount of work that we are required to do and therefore increase our fees, are:
- Where an original will needs to be located.
- Beneficiaries needing to be traced.
- The amount of correspondence needed with executors and beneficiaries of the estate.
- The amount of correspondence to identify assets and liabilities of the estate.
Hourly rates for staff who may work on your matter are:
Approximately 90% of the work on your matter will be undertaken by the lead fee earner named in your client care information when you instruct us.
- Solicitors & Legal Executives with over 8 years’ experience – £225 + 20% VAT (£45) (thus totalling £270 inclusive of VAT)
- Solicitors & Legal Executives with over 4 years’ experience – £210 + 20% VAT (£42) (thus totalling £252 inclusive of VAT)
- Other Solicitors or Legal Executives and fee earners of equivalent experience - £190 + 20% VAT (£38) (thus totalling £228 inclusive of VAT)
- Trainee Solicitors, Paralegals and other fee earners - £130 + 20% VAT (£26) (this totalling £156 inclusive of VAT)
Further Costs
Are there any other costs I should be made aware of?
FEES PAYABLE TO THIRD PARTIES (‘DISBURSEMENTS’)
Other charges to consider are called disbursements. These are additional costs that may be incurred when administering the estate. These may include:
- Probate court fee: £273 plus £1.50 for each copy of a Grant required
- Fee to any external company to trace lost assets: (To be confirmed by the external company). Fees from £165 plus 20% VAT (£33) (totalling £198 inclusive of VAT).
- Certainty will search (where a will that needs to be located): Ranging from £58.80 plus 20% VAT (£11.76) (thus totalling £70.56 inclusive of VAT to £262.20 plus 20% VAT (£52.44) (thus totalling £314.64 inclusive of VAT)
- Accountant’s fee for any Income Tax return. (To be confirmed by the accountant). Fees usually start at £200 plus VAT (totalling £240 inclusive of VAT).
- A statutory advertisement fee to advertise for unknown creditors.: £87.30 plus 20% VAT(£17.46) (thus totalling £104.76 inclusive of VAT)
- Fee to Share Registrars for any lost shares certificates. (To be confirmed by the share registrar). Approximately 1% of the value of the shares represented by the missing share certificate.
- Fees to external stockbroker to value shareholdings. (To be confirmed by the external company) From £6 plus 20% VAT (£1.20) (totalling £7.20 inclusive of VAT) per shareholding.
Any or all of these costs will be individual to your circumstances. We’ll advise you if you’re liable for any them once we know the extent of the estate.
What about other payments?
Will there be any further payments?
ADDITIONAL COSTS
Where additional services are required we will provide you with an additional fee quote, or help you to find alternative specialist advice, these may include:
- 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 (please see our Conveyancing Pricing)
- 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
- Any contested probate matters or advice on the same.
Key Stages & Timescales
What is the process and how long will it take?
WORK INCLUDED AND KEY STAGES
Our fees include obtaining the grant of probate, collecting assets and distributing them. The specific work and stages involved in a probate matter vary according to the circumstances and the number of hours we work on a matter are usually from 10 – 30 hours. However, we have set out the key stages involved in a typical probate matter:
- Take your instructions and give you initial advice.
- Identify the executors or administrators and beneficiaries appointed by the will or by law.
- Establish the extent of the estate by identifying the various assets and liabilities.
- Ascertain the type of probate application required.
- Prepare the application for the Grant of Probate, including all HM Revenue & Customs and Probate Registry documentation.
- Advise the executors about the application documents they are signing and submit them to HM Revenue & Customs (where necessary) and the Probate Registry.
- Once we receive the Grant we will then liaise with all organisations and arrange for assets to be sold or transferred to the beneficiaries.
- We will arrange to pay any liabilities of the estate, including any Inheritance Tax.
APPROXIMATE/ AVERAGE TIMESCALES
On average, we will administer estates within 6-9 months.
Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 12-16 weeks.
Collecting assets typically takes between 4 – 6 weeks.
Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which ordinarily takes 2 – 4 weeks.
Experience & Qualifications of supervising Partners & The Team
Experience and Qualifications
Our Head of Department is Louise Rance, who is a very experienced Solicitor and Director of Russell & Russell LLP. Louise is a Supervising Partner of the Probate Department, along with Solicitor and Director Emma Wood.
You can view information about our team’s experience and qualifications here