Introduction

Probate is the process of managing a deceased person's assets, paying off their debts and taxes, and distributing their remaining property to the beneficiaries named in their Will. In the case of uncontested probate, there are no disputes regarding the Will or asset distribution. We have outlined our Legal Fees, disbursements, and estimated timeline for completing your uncontested probate matter.

Legal Fees and Disbursements

Legal Fees refer to the payment required for the work we will perform in managing your case from start to finish, in relation to an uncontested probate matter. Our standard fee for such cases typically ranges from £3,000 to £6,000 plus VAT.
The hourly rate for handling an uncontested probate matter ranges from £300 to £450 plus VAT, based on the experience and qualification of the person handling your case. We will charge additional fees of £16 plus VAT for CHAPS Electronic Money Transfer and £3.50 plus VAT for same-day transfer.

We will clearly indicate which disbursements carry VAT in our formal quotation or as we advise you to incur them. The exact cost will depend on the specific circumstances of your matter, such as the number of beneficiaries, property, and bank accounts involved.

We will manage the entire process for you, and our standard fee estimate is applicable for estates with one beneficiary and no property. For cases involving multiple beneficiaries, a property, and multiple bank accounts, the costs will be at the higher end of the range.

• The estate is free of disputes between beneficiaries with regards to the distribution of assets. If disputes arise, this could lead to additional costs.
• There is a valid will in place.
• The total amount of funds held in bank or building society accounts is no more than £755,000.
• There are no other intangible assets to be distributed.
• There are one or two beneficiaries in total.
• There is no more than one property to be distributed.
• There is no inheritance tax payable and the executors are not required to submit a full account to HM Revenue and Customs.
• There are no claims made against the estate.
• No tax clearance is required for either inheritance tax or income tax.

We will keep you informed of any changes to our fees throughout the process, and we will explain the reasons for such changes. Any adjustments to fees will usually occur if you modify your instructions or if your case involves unexpected complications.

Disbursements

Disbursements refer to expenses associated with your matter that are payable to external parties. To ensure a seamless process, we will manage the payment of disbursements on your behalf.

Our formal quotation will include a comprehensive list of all disbursements. In the event that you need to incur additional disbursements during your case, we will inform you in advance of the reason for the additional costs and the expected amount.

Common disbursements may include:

• Bankruptcy only Land Charges Department searches.
• Advertisement (Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors): £120 + VAT. * Probate application fee: £150 - £200 + VAT.
• Swearing of the oath (per executor): £10 - £20 + VAT.

We at GRAHAM TEMPLE LAW pride ourselves on offering a thorough and transparent service, ensuring that our clients are informed of all costs and procedures.

The estimated completion time for estates falling within the specified fee range is between 9-18 months, with the process typically involving obtaining the grant of probate, which can take 12-18 weeks, collecting assets, which typically takes 6-12 weeks, and distributing assets, which can take 2-3 weeks.

While the exact steps involved in an uncontested probate matter may vary based on individual circumstances, we aim to provide a dedicated and experienced probate solicitor to work on each matter, undertake regulatory checks, identify the legally appointed executors or administrators and beneficiaries, make the application to the Probate Court on your behalf, obtain the Probate and securely send two copies to you, accurately identify the type of Probate application required, obtain the relevant documents, complete the Probate Application and the relevant HMRC forms, and draft a legal oath for you to swear.

It is important to note that additional costs may arise if there is no will or if the estate consists of any shareholdings, with the costs varying depending on the estate and how it is to be dealt with. We are happy to provide a more accurate quote once we have more information.

Should you have any further questions or queries regarding our services or fees, please do not hesitate to contact us via email at INFO@templecorporate.com.