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Fees for Estate Administration/Probate There are various factors that are taken into account when determining a reasonable fee, but the main factor will be the time spent in dealing with the case, or the "time element". The value involved in the administration of an estate is important too, as is complexity, importance and urgency. It is very difficult to quote a fixed price for Estate matters, as each case is so different, but as a very rough guide we charge: A fixed fee of £950 plus VAT at the rate of 20 percent to assist with the work needed to obtain a Grant of Probate, excluding the third party payments to HMCTS (the Probate Registry) which are extra. This only applies to non-taxable estates. The fees for an estate are usually in the band of 1 to 2% of an estate's value, as a rule of thumb, unless our Principal is one of the executors. Please see below for the basis of charging by reference to time spent. The time element includes all time and various operations of legal practice, such as: Time spent in meetings and conferences Making and receiving telephone calls Considering, preparing and working with papers Legal research Correspondence Estate or Trust accounting Travelling Time is recorded by reference to six minute units of time. A full unit of six minutes will be charged for operations lasting less than six minutes. From 1st January 2025 my hourly charging rate is £330 plus VAT at the rate of 20 percent, but where I am an Executor it is £350 plus VAT at 20 percent. This is only increased by way of markup where appropriate (eg - where a matter is complex, urgent, or high value), and you would be notified of this. My hourly rate may be reviewed, but not more often than annually. We will charge separately for third party payments made on your behalf, which are often called disbursements. These include: Court fees (eg - Probate Court Fees) - The current Fee for Probate is £300 plus £1.50 per official copy. HM Land Registry fees Counsel's fees Search fees Advertisement costs (eg - s27 Trustee Act 1925 Notices in the press) Our Probate work will vary depending on the level of our involvement and the type of application and composition of the estate, but a typical process might include: - identifying the legally appointed executor/administrator and estate beneficiaries - Obtaining the relevant documents to apply to court for Probate - Comleting the Probate Application forms (if a paper process) and submitting an Inheritance Tax account to HMRC if required - Arranging to pay an Inheritance Tax due - Making an online application (with HMRC code if needed) - Circulating Probate with asset holding institutions and gathering in monies - Liasing with beneficiaries, paying legacies and making interim distributions - Assisting with sale of real estate - finalising tax liabilities of the estate - Estate accounting and making final distributions Timescales - It is virtually impossible to give an idea of timescales in light of the disarray within HMCTS Probate. Delays and issues are legion and commonplace. Probate can take between 8 days from application up to 4 to 5 months and sometimes longer. The majority of online applications result in a Probate grant for us in 2 to 3 weeks, but there is no guarantee, and it is highly variable and unpredictable. As to administration of entire estates, we can give an idea about this based on your particular case, but there is no set timetable, and every estate has its own variables. Where a property has to be sold there can be significant delays in finalising estates. It depends on the assets. Generally most estates take between 6 and 18 months to complete. We aim to have Probate asap, and within 3 months if possible, and to make a first distribution of money within 6 months. We seek to give an indication of timing at the outset, and keep you informed as things progress as to any revisions of the timings.

101 Risbygate Street, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3AA Telephone: 01284 756822 | Fax: 01284 756823 VAT No 907 9697 67 Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Registered with the SRA under entity number 438652