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How much does probate cost? Well, it depends on who you choose to deal with. Here are your options:

1.    An independent probate specialist.
Usually work on a reasonable fixed fee basis agreed at the outset with no up-front costs.  Make sure that you are dealing with a reputable company otherwise you won’t have any comeback should things go wrong. Look for 3rd party verification such as an Office of Fair Trading approved code of practice.

2.    A high street solicitor.
Charge a fixed percentage (0.5 – 1%) of the estate value & an hourly rate on top. This presents a problem in that you will not know how much the final bill will be at the outset. As the average hourly rate is between £150-£250 the costs can quickly escalate. This means every time you pick up the phone to ask a question or raise a query the “meter is ticking” and you incur additional fees. Tend not to specialise & do all types of legal work e.g. conveyancing, matrimonial disputes etc.

3.    A probate broker.
Operate a panel of providers & come back with the cheapest quote. They will you charge a broker fee of £400-500 + VAT payable up-front for this service. May be the “cheapest” option, but anyone knows who has bought something “cheap” before, this rarely works out to be the best outcome. You normally have to make a compromise & may be storing up problems for the future.

4.    A high street bank.
Charge between 3-5% of the value of the estate. This can present you with a very large bill. Little wonder they are known as “fat cats”.

If you are looking for an expert, efficient, value for money probate provider then look no further.  Our unique stress free, straightforward & time saving probate service is the answer.

Why spend your time worrying about how you are going to complete complicated legal & financial procedures? Our service makes life easier & less stressful for you. Contact us today & find out how. You will get your questions answered by an expert & discover your best options on how to proceed.

•  Do you want Peace of mind knowing what needs to be done, when & by who?

• Would you like the weight lifting from your shoulders safe in the knowledge that you are “in the know” and aren’t personally liable?

•  Would you like to remove stress & worry knowing that you won’t have to spend countless hours doing boring research, filling in tax returns, wasting time being kept on hold on the telephone, writing letters and attending court?

Don’t just take our word for it – here’s what are customers say about our service.

Find out more by contacting  Phil or Steph today  – either by phone or by completing our ‘contact us’ form.

We understand that our service isn’t for everyone. If you need help where:

•    You are completing probate or inheritance tax forms yourself.
•    Probate has already been obtained.
•    There is a dispute.

Please phone the Probate Helpline on 0845 30 20 900 in the above circumstances.

If you have recently suffered the loss of a loved one please accept our sincere condolences. We have all lost someone close to us and understand what a stressful and painful time this is.

We understand that you may not be ready at this time to deal with the affairs of the deceased. When you are ready, you can be assured that we will be here to offer help and guide you through the procedures that are required to deal with someone’s estate.

If you:

•    Are unsure what to do next or don’t know where to start.
•    Are uncertain whether you want to deal with complicated and time consuming financial/legal procedures yourself.
•    Have any questions or problems about how to deal with matters arising from the death of a loved one.

There is help at hand. Please telephone Phil or Steph during office hours or complete our enquiry form and we’ll contact you. You will get your questions answered by a legal expert, entirely without obligation.

What to do after a death – Checklist

• Notify the family doctor – immediately;
• If the death was unexpected, or happened outside of a hospital, contact the police – immediately;
• Register the death at the local registry office – within 5 days of the date of death.
• Contact a funeral director to make the funeral arrangements – within 5 days of the date of death.

The following tasks should be completed within 7-10 days of the date of death:

• Locate the Will and notify the Executor(s) if this isn’t you.
• If there is no Will (called ‘intestacy’) the next of kin should seek legal advice, to help understand some of the complications and legal implications that can arise. Telephone our free helpline for assistance on 0800 6129 150 or complete our online enquiry form. For further information on intestacy click here;
• Find details and make a list of all the deceased’s assets (such as bank/building society accounts, ISA’s, shares, premium bonds, insurance policies etc) and liabilities (credit cards, loans, utility providers etc);
• Find details and make a list of other interested parties such as the Department of Work and Pensions, Benefits Agencies, Home Insurance Provider, Utilities Provider, Pension Provider, Council Tax, Inland Revenue and so on.
• Register the deceased’s details on the bereavement register at www.the-bereavement-register.com to prevent direct mail being sent to the deceased;
• Establish whether ‘Probate’ is needed. For further information on Probate, please click here;
• Establish who should administer the deceased’s estate (i.e. conduct all of the legal, financial and administrative duties required). Please telephone our free helpline on 0800 6129 150 for further help and guidance.

If you do not feel as though you want to take on the complicated and time consuming legal procedures yourself there is an alternative. Our service makes life easier & less stressful for you. Simply hand over the paperwork to us and we’ll take care of the estate for you.  

• Do you want Peace of mind knowing what needs to be done, when & by who?

•  Would you like the weight lifting from your shoulders safe in the knowledge that you are “in the know” and aren’t personally liable?

•  Would you like to remove stress & worry knowing that you won’t have to spend countless hours doing boring research, filling in tax returns, wasting time being kept on hold on the telephone, writing letters and attending court?

 Find out more by contacting  Phil or Steph today  – either by phone or by completing our ‘contact us’ form.

Don’t just take our word for it – here’s what are customers say about our service.

Please phone the Government Probate Helpline on 0845 30 20 900 if you need help where:

•    You are completing probate or inheritance tax forms yourself.
•    Probate has already been obtained.
•    There is a dispute.

We’re here to make life easier for you by offering guidance and help following the death of a loved one. Our customers say that it feels like a weight has been lifted from their shoulders after using our service – contact us today and we can do the same for you.

Special offer – Request a quote today & save 50% on the cost of your Will or Lasting Power of Attorney*

Do you need a Probate Solicitor?

No if:
•    Assets are owned jointly.
•    Assets are of a modest value, typically under £20,000.
•    You want to “Do it yourself” & accept the associated risks, financial liability & time investment.

Yes if:
•    You want the estate dealt with quickly & professionally.
•    You want to save yourself the hassle of attending court, dealing with masses of paperwork, dealing with tax returns, the list goes on………
•    You don’t have the time or expertise to deal with it yourself.
•    You don’t want to be personally liable for rectifying any mistakes out of your own pocket.

We are here to answer any of your questions on our FREE HELPLINE 0800 6129 150

Choosing a Probate Solicitor – Your Options

1.    High Street Solicitor – (Unknown costs at outset – tend to work on an hourly rate of £150-£250 + a % of the estate, tend to do a bit of everything & not specialise, still stuck in the 19th Century in terms of customer service – when was the last time a high street solicitor came to YOU?).
2.    Bank (very expensive – fees typically 4-5% of the value of the estate).
3.    Independent Probate Specialist – (Reasonable fees, Experts, Customer focused).

We are Independent Probate Specialists & are here to answer any of your questions on our FREE HELPLINE 0800 6129 150

7 reasons why 91% of our customers rate the quality of our service as “high” or “very high”:

 
1.    No upfront costs. Why pay upfront broker fees of £300 – £400 & find yourself out of pocket? Cut out the middle man & come direct to the provider of the service. Our Fees are paid by the estate when sufficient funds are available.
2.    Reasonable FIXED FEES. We do not set out to be the “cheapest” as we find that “cheap” is rarely the best option. We have all chosen a “cheap” option before and then later regretted it. We do promise that our fees are reasonable and offer value for money, with no “hidden extras”.
3.    Independent  3rd party endorsement. Our code of practice is approved by The Office of Fair Trading which means that you are dealing with a reputable company with gold standards (including indemnity insurance to protect you from financial loss and an independent complaints procedure). High Street Solicitors and banks are NOT endorsed by the OFT.
4.    FREE initial advice through our helpline
5.    FREE home visit service
6.    Expertise – the important legal work is carried out by a specialist probate solicitor regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
7.    Peace of mind. We’re here to make life easier for you by saving you time, worry & hassle. Our customers regularly comment that they felt relieved they used our service as it felt like a weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

We have helped over 1500 customers since 2004 and we would like to do the same for you. Find out how we can help you by calling our FREE HELPLINE 0800 6129 150.

Request a fixed fee quote today & take the first step to successfully concluding the estate of your loved one.

* Special Offer Terms – 50% reduction in our fee for preparing a pair of Mirror Wills (normal fee £150 + VAT) OR a single Lasting Power of Attorney (normal fee £295 + VAT)

If you have recently suffered the loss of a loved one please accept our sincere condolences. We have all lost someone close to us and understand what a stressful and painful time this is. If:

•    You have any questions about the intestacy rules
•    You are unsure what to do next or don’t know where to start.
•    You are uncertain whether you want to deal with complicated and time consuming financial/legal procedures yourself.
•    You have any questions or problems about how to deal with matters arising from the death of a loved one.

There is help at hand. Please telephone Phil or Steph during office hours or complete our enquiry form and we’ll contact you. You will get your questions answered by a legal expert, entirely without obligation.

The Intestacy Rules explained

The Intestacy Rules apply where someone has died in England & Wales without leaving a Will. The person is said to have died ‘intestate’ and the intestacy laws decides who inherits what through a strict ‘pecking order’.

Download the Intestacy Rules here:

http://www.willsandprobateservice.co.uk/downloads/How-an-estate-is-distributed.pdf

The ‘pecking order’ of the Intestacy Rules:

1. The husband, wife or registered civil partner of the deceased (but NOT their unmarried partner or ‘common law’ partner).
2. The deceased’s children (or grandchildren where the child has already died).
3. The deceased’s parents.
4. The deceased’s brothers or sisters (or their descendants if they have already died).
5. The deceased’s half brothers or sisters, (or their descendants if they have already died).
6. The deceased’s grandparents.
7. The deceased’s Uncles & Aunts, (or their descendants if they have already died).

How to resolve a deceased person’s estate where the Intestacy Rules apply

The following legal duties need completing:

• Obtain the correct court order to deal with the deceased person’s assets;
• Obtain formal valuations of the deceased person’s estate;
• Complete Inland Revenue tax returns;
• Calculate and pay any tax due;
• Pay the deceased’s debts;
• Identify and deal with any potential claims against the estate under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
• Prepare estate accounts;
• Distribute the estate in accordance with the intestacy rules.

Important note – The person dealing with the estate is personally liable to pay for any errors out of their own pocket when dealing with the estate, for example errors in distributing the assets in accordance with the intestacy rules or underpaid tax.

If you do not feel as though you want to take on the complicated and time consuming legal procedures yourself there is an alternative. Our service makes life easier & less stressful for you. Simply hand over the paperwork to us and we’ll take care of the estate for you.  

• Do you want Peace of mind knowing what needs to be done, when & by who?

•  Would you like the weight lifting from your shoulders safe in the knowledge that you are “in the know” and aren’t personally liable?

•  Would you like to remove stress & worry knowing that you won’t have to spend countless hours doing boring research, filling in tax returns, wasting time being kept on hold on the telephone, writing letters and attending court?

 Find out more by contacting  Phil or Steph today  – either by phone or by completing our ‘contact us’ form.

Don’t just take our word for it – here’s what are customers say about our service.

‘Common Law’ partners and co-habitees

If you weren’t married or registered civil partners, you won’t automatically get a share of your partner’s estate if they don’t make a will.

If they haven’t provided for you in some other way, your only option is to make a claim against the estate. You can make a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.

Please phone our legal helpline or complete our enquiry form for further information and advice.

Wills and Probate Service are here to help you deal with intestacy. We deal with all of the legal formalities and remove personal liability from the next of kin. Please contact our helpline or complete our enquiry form for further information.

Our service benefits you by being:

Simple & straightforward.
Hassle free.
Professional.

If you have recently suffered the loss of a loved one please accept our sincere condolences. We have all lost someone close to us and understand what a stressful and painful time this is.

We understand that you may not be ready at this time to deal with the affairs of the deceased. When you are ready, you can be assured that we will be here to offer help and guide you through the procedures that are required to deal with someone’s estate.

If you:

•    Are unsure what to do next or don’t know where to start.
•    Are uncertain whether you want to deal with complicated and time consuming financial/legal procedures yourself.
•    Have any questions or problems about how to deal with matters arising from the death of a loved one.

There is help at hand. Please telephone Phil or Steph during office hours or complete our enquiry form and we’ll contact you. You will get your questions answered by a legal expert, entirely without obligation.

No Will – the legal position

When someone dies leaving no Will, this creates a legal situation called ‘intestacy’ (basically the law decides who gets what and when). This situation can present a number of problems and potential pitfalls for the person responsible for sorting out the affairs of the deceased.

It is important the deceased’s money and property are dealt with according to the intestacy law, otherwise the person dealing with this can find themselves rectifying any errors out of their own pocket.

5 steps to take if someone dies leaving no Will

1. Establish who the next of kin is. The next of kin has the right to deal with the deceased person’s finances and property etc where there is no Will. Find out who the next of kin is here: http://www.willsandprobateservice.co.uk/downloads/Identifying-the-next-of-kin.pdf
2. Make a list of the deceased person’s assets and liabilities.
3. Do the assets total more than £15,000? YES – A court order will be required to handle the deceased’s assets (they will be ‘frozen’ in the meantime). Phone our legal helpline or complete our enquiry form for further information and advice.  NO – Write to the companies concerned (i.e. banks, building societies, insurers etc) to notify them of the death & they will explain how the money will be released).
4. Identify any assets that are held jointly with someone else. Note that jointly owned assets usually pass to the surviving joint owner & the intestacy rules do not apply. Please contact our helpline for further information.
5. Identify if someone may have a claim against the deceased estate, e.g. unmarried partners who were living together. If this is the case phone our legal helpline or complete our enquiry form for further information and advice.

Find out who inherits when there is no Will

If we die leaving no Will this creates a legal situation called ‘intestacy’. This means that the law of intestacy decides who inherits what.

Download details of who inherits if there is no will:

http://www.willsandprobateservice.co.uk/downloads/How-an-estate-is-distributed.pdf

How to resolve a deceased person’s estate where there is no Will

The following legal duties need completing when someone dies leaving no Will:

• Obtain the correct court order to deal with the deceased person’s assets;
• Obtain formal valuations of the deceased person’s estate;
• Complete Inland Revenue tax returns;
• Calculate and pay any tax due;
• Pay the deceased’s debts;
• Identify and deal with any potential claims against the estate under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
• Prepare estate accounts;
• Distribute the estate in accordance with the intestacy rules.

Important note – The person dealing with the estate is personally liable to pay for any errors out of their own pocket when dealing with the estate when there is no Will, for example errors in distributing the assets in accordance with the intestacy rules or underpaid tax.

If you do not feel as though you want to take on the complicated and time consuming legal procedures yourself there is an alternative. Our service makes life easier & less stressful for you. Simply hand over the paperwork to us and we’ll take care of the estate for you.  

• Do you want Peace of mind knowing what needs to be done, when & by who?

•  Would you like the weight lifting from your shoulders safe in the knowledge that you are “in the know” and aren’t personally liable?

•  Would you like to remove stress & worry knowing that you won’t have to spend countless hours doing boring research, filling in tax returns, wasting time being kept on hold on the telephone, writing letters and attending court?

Find out more by contacting  Phil or Steph today  – either by phone or by completing our ‘contact us’ form.

Don’t just take our word for it – here’s what are customers say about our service.

‘Common Law’ partners and co-habitees

If you weren’t married or registered civil partners, you won’t automatically get a share of your partner’s estate if they don’t make a will.

If they haven’t provided for you in some other way, your only option is to make a claim against the estate. You can make a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.

Please phone our legal helpline or complete our enquiry form for further information and advice.

What to do if you have ‘missed out’ inheriting under the intestacy law

If you feel that you have not received ‘reasonable financial provision’ under the intestacy laws, you may be able to make a claim against the estate. Broadly, the categories of persons permitted to make claims against the estate of the deceased are:

• Surviving wife/husband/civil partner;
• A former wife or husband who has not remarried;
• A child of the deceased;
• Co-habitees of the deceased.
• Any person who, although was not the child of the deceased, was treated like a child of the family by the deceased (e.g. step-child);
• A person who immediately before the death of the deceased was being maintained, either whole or partly by the deceased.

There are certain criteria and conditions to meet and it is important to seek expert advice.

Please phone our legal helpline or complete our enquiry form for further information and advice.

7 reasons why 91% of our customers rate the quality of our service as “high” or “very high”:

1. No upfront costs. Why pay upfront broker fees of £300 – £400 & find yourself out of pocket? Cut out the middle man & come direct to the provider of the service. Our Fees are paid by the estate when sufficient funds are available.
2. Reasonable FIXED FEES. We do not set out to be the “cheapest” as we find that “cheap” is rarely the best option. We have all chosen a “cheap” option before and then later regretted it. We do promise that our fees are reasonable and offer value for money, with no “hidden extras”.
3. Independent 3rd party endorsement. Our code of practice is approved by The Office of Fair Trading which means that you are dealing with a reputable company with gold standards (including indemnity insurance to protect you from financial loss and an independent complaints procedure). High Street Solicitors and banks are NOT endorsed by the OFT.
4. FREE initial advice through our helpline
5. FREE home visit service
6. Expertise – the important legal work is carried out by a specialist probate solicitor regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
7. Peace of mind. We’re here to make life easier for you by saving you time, worry & hassle. Our customers regularly comment that they felt relieved they used our service as it felt like a weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

We have helped over 1500 customers since 2004 and we would like to do the same for you. Find out how we can help you by calling our FREE HELPLINE 0800 6129 150.

Request a fixed fee quote today & take the first step to successfully concluding the estate of your loved one.

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