When someone dies, a document known as a Grant of Representation (the Grant) is often required to allow the estate to be administered. Where there is a valid Will, this document is called a Grant of Probate. Where a person dies intestate, ie without leaving a valid will this document is called a Grant of Letters of Administration.
We will be happy to advise you in all aspects of dealing with an estate. We offer a full estate administration service or we can obtain the Grant on your behalf to enable you to deal with the estate administration yourself. An estimate of our charges for the different services are shown below
Applying for a Grant only
We offer a fixed price to obtain a Grant of Probate or Grant of Letters of Administration where the Estate is an excepted estate and there are no other complicating factors. This is £1650.00 plus VAT.
Smaller/ Non-Complex Estates
We will prepare and submit the application for the Grant to the Probate Registry for you, but will not provide any advice about or deal with the administration of the estate. Our fixed price assumes:
- There is a valid Will or all parties entitled to apply for the Grant of Letters of Administration are in agreement
- There are no claims made against the estate
- You can provide us with the necessary financial information about the estate to enable us to prepare a schedule of assets and liabilities and if necessary prepare the Return of Estate Information (IHT 205) form (for deaths prior to 31.12.2021).
High Value and Complex Estates and Those Liable to Inheritance Tax
Our costs to obtain a Grant of Probate or Grant of Letters of Administration where a full Return of Estate Information (IHT 400 plus supplemental forms) is required to be submitted to HMRC and there are no other complicating factors, is between £2200.00 and £3000.00 plus VAT.
We will prepare and submit the IHT 400 and required supplemental forms to HMRC. We will prepare the application for the Grant and upon receipt of the reference number from HMRC, we will prepare and submit the application to the Probate Registry for you. We will not provide any advice about or deal with the administration of the estate. Our price assumes:
- There is a valid Will or all parties entitled to apply for the Grant of Letters of Administration are in agreement
- There are no claims made against the estate
- You can provide us with the necessary financial information about the estate to enable us to complete the IHT 400
- You will arrange payment of any Inheritance Tax which may be due
Please note, in addition to our costs there will be an application fee payable to the Court for the Grant of £300.00 together with £1.50 for each court copy Grant needed (usually one per asset holder eg each bank, share registrar etc)
CDD fees
It is the firm’s policy to identify all of our clients and we refer to this as Customer Due Diligence (CDD). In addition to the charges above, we also charge a CDD fee of £10.00 plus VAT per client.
If you are resident abroad, our CDD fee is £25.00 per client.
How long will the application take?
Typically, where an IHT 205 is required, (or for deaths after 1 January 2022), and the application can be made on-line, obtaining the Grant will take approximately 8-12 weeks after submitting the documents to the Probate Registry.
Where an IHT 400 is required by HMRC and the application can be made on-line, the application will take approximately 12-16 weeks after submitting the documents to the Probate Registry.
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