Our dedicated team, who have over 60 years of collective experience, knows that no two estates are the same. Once we have spoken to you and understand the work required, we can advise you on the type of service that may best suit you and provide a detailed plan of the work to be undertaken and provide a fee estimate in advance. As we advise on probate and estate administration matters all day, every day, we encounter very few situations that we have not seen before and we can act quickly to ensure the estate progresses without delay.

Our experienced team is ranked in the 2023 edition of the Chambers High Net Worth Guide.

Pricing transparency

Wright Hassall offer a range of fixed fee and time-based services depending on the activities required.

Fixed fee only services – where a full IHT return is not needed

• Obtaining a Grant of Probate (IHT205 form) - £995 plus VAT
• Obtaining a Grant of Probate claiming a double nil rate band (IHT205 and IHT217) - £1,150 plus VAT
  
  

Time based services

Fees are based on hourly rates (excluding VAT, which is charged at the prevailing rate) which range from £155 to £230 depending on the seniority and experience of the individual advising. We will always ensure that the right person at the right level manages your matter with the appropriate level of supervision.

NB: This fee scale is a guide only. We will send you a questionnaire to complete so we can establish how much work will be involved in administering the estate before giving you an accurate estimate. In most situations, we are able to offer you the choice of a time based estimate range or a fixed rate quote to meet your specific circumstances..

• Obtaining a Grant of Probate where a full IHT return is due but no tax is payable (IHT400) - £2,000 to £3,000.
• Obtaining a Grant of probate where a full IHT return is due and tax is payable (IHT400) - £2,400 to £4,000.
• Full estate administration – based on simple estate example – in the region of £3,000 to £5,000.
• Full estate administration – based on complex estate example – in the region of £6,000 to £12,000.
  
  

Simple estate example – (could include the following)

Complex estate example – (could include the following)

It is often difficult to know whether any of these factors will be relevant at the outset of the matter and they may only become known once a quote has been provided and a degree of work has already been undertaken on your behalf.

As soon as we are aware of any factors that will impact on the level of professional fees and/or disbursements (see below) payable, we will notify you and provide you with an indication of the likely impact.

Matters in all estate administrations which may give rise to additional costs

• No Will (intestacy) or proving a missing or damaged will Registering the death or arranging the funeral
• Large number of individual shareholdings or managed portfolios
• Arranging property insurance and managing the utility accounts until a property is sold
• Complex inheritance tax situations, including claims for agricultural or business assets
• Missing beneficiaries
• Disputes between executors and/or beneficiaries

Disbursements – third party costs which may by incurred during the administration. We will handle the payment of these disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process (all figures inclusive of VAT charged at 20% if applicable)

Probate Court fees (£155) and office copies (£1.50 per copy) Will and Financial asset searches (£136.80 and £186)

Bankruptcy searches (£2.40 for UK, £100 estimated for overseas) Statutory notices (£170 estimated)

Dependent on the nature of the estate there may also be valuation fees, estate agents commission and conveyancing costs, and any taxes payable to HMRC in the estate. For more information on taxes, please see the Gov.UK website.

Timescales – how long will it take?

For our Obtaining the Grant of Probate services, we would expect the executors to provide us with all valuations of the estate assets and liabilities and we would expect to draft the papers for signing and apply in 2-3 weeks following receipt of the information. The Grant of Probate should issue 3-4 weeks after that if a full IHT return is not required, or if a full return is required, the time to issue should be 6-8 weeks, subject to Probate Court and HMRC turnarounds.

For full estate administrations, where we will notify companies, beneficiaries and arrange valuation of the assets and liabilities, we would expect to be able to apply in 4-10 weeks depending on the complexity of assets. The issue of the Grant would then be as detailed above, subject to making any arrangements for payment of inheritance tax required.

Once the Grant of Probate is issued, we would arrange to collect in the assets, pay any liabilities and expenses, pay any legacies and distribute the estate. This can take between 2-4 months for simple estates and can take between 6-18 months for more complex estates where delays can be encountered through agreeing the inheritance tax position, selling the property, dealing with the investments, and settling the income and capital gains tax position.

A full set of estate accounts will be produced for the executor’s approval at the end of the administration before final distribution which will be sent to the residuary beneficiaries when making final distributions.

Examples of full administrations undertaken Simple estates

For an estate valued at £350,000 passing to two residuary beneficiaries which included one property and seven bank accounts we charged an administration fee of £3,100 plus VAT.

For an estate valued at £480,000 which had six pecuniary legacies and passed to one residuary beneficiary and included, one property, nine bank accounts, bonds and policies, and one shareholding, we charged an administration fee of £5,400 plus VAT.

Complex estates

For an estate valued at £600,000 with no inheritance tax due which passed to one pecuniary legacy, a mixture of twenty-five charitable and non-charitable residuary beneficiaries in unequal shares and included one property and nine bank accounts and policies, we charged an administration fee of £7,500 plus VAT

For an estate valued at £500,000 which was subject to inheritance tax, had seven pecuniary legacies and passed to three residuary beneficiaries and included one property, four bank accounts and eight investment holdings we charged an administration fee of £9,200 plus VAT.

For an estate valued at £1,000,000 which was subject to inheritance tax, had three pecuniary legacies and two residuary beneficiaries and included two properties, 5 accounts, nine investment holdings, claims for agricultural and business property relief and a partial transferrable nil rate band we charged an administration fee of £12,300 plus VAT.

Quality assured: Wright Hassall is Lexcel accredited, the Law Society’s legal practice quality mark for practice management and client care.

The details

* Grant of probate

* Full estate administration