Wills and Probate Solicitors

Wills

Writing a will can offer complete peace of mind that your wishes are carried out as you want them to be and can provide a secure future for your loved ones after you are gone leaving them without worry.  Please refer to our Writing a Will page for further information.

Probate

Vincents Probate Team offer a varying level of services to clients seeking advice following the death of a loved one.

The probate process differs depending on whether there is a Will or not.

We can advise on the steps to administer the deceased's affairs, including; registering the death, gathering legal authority known at Grant of Representation and Estate Administration.  We also offer assistance in the clearance of any tax liablilities and distribution of the remainder of the estate to beneficiaries.

Further information can be found on our Probate page.  

How much will it cost?

Applying for the grant, collecting and distributing the assets
We anticipate this will take between 5 and 15 hours work at £201 per hour.
Total costs are estimated at between £1,005 plus VAT and £3,015 plus VAT
The exact costs 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.
We will handle the full process for you. This quote is for estates where:
• There is a valid will
• There is no more than one property
• There are no more than £300,000 in the bank or building society accounts
• There are no other intangible assets
• There are between 2 and 5 beneficiaries
• There are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs.
• There is no inheritance tax payable and the Executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC (IHT 400)
• There are no claims made against the estate
Disbursements not included in this fee:
• Probate application fee currently £ 156.50
• £5 Swearing of the oath and £2 per exhibit (per Executor)
• Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£ 3 per Beneficiary)
• The cost of putting a post in The London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.
• The cost of putting a post in a Local Newspaper – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims.
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 but will charge for the cost of the above disbursements over and above our legal costs to ensure a smoother process.

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 £5 (1 per asset usually).
• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.

How long will this take?

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within 6 and 9 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 12 weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between 6 and 8 weeks. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes 4 weeks.
 

For any queries you have contact one of our Wills and Probate team for free initial advice.