Wills and Probate
The only way that you can ensure that both your business and personal assets are transferred to your beneficiaries in the most effective manner, is by putting the most efficient estate plan in place. We tailor that plan taking into account your individual circumstances and goals.
We are leading solicitors in structuring and strategy and ensure that trustees and beneficiaries are able to manage and distribute assets with minimum disruption, tax, duties and disputes. For us, good estate planning is more than just a will. We review existing structures and plans to identify potential fault lines and provide solutions.
Our clients tell us that we are leading experts in the field, who are professional, personal, prompt and efficient. We have many years of experience in providing advice on the preparation of wills, Enduring Powers of Attorney, Advance Care and other medical documents. Where necessary, our dispute resolution expertise enables us to advocate for our clients the court should such assistance be required.
Wills and Estate Planning
Our team has in-depth experience in working with clients to ensure they have an estate plan that is tailored to their needs and protects their assets and beneficiaries.
We help our clients identify and avoid common estate planning traps such as:
Appreciating family dynamics that may be an obstacle to implementing your wishes
Neglecting to take into account the payment of superannuation benefits on death
Failing to consider what may occur in the event of personal incapacity
Establishing appropriate structures to effect matrimonial and cross-generational transfer of assets
Understanding who has or will have legal and effective control of asset-holding structures
We are dedicated to excellence in providing advisory and dispute-resolution services to individuals.
Estate Administration
The administration of a deceased estate can involve complex tax, commercial and trust-related considerations.
Drawing upon our commercial expertise, we appreciate that it is important to have experienced and knowledgeable advisors who can assist executors and trustees navigate critical decision-making processes.
The Associate Law Firm specialises in all aspects of estate administration, but particularly complex estates. We advise individual executors to help them understand their obligations, powers and duties in relation to the estate.
Our clients can expect efficient and prompt advice in complex situations, from identifying issues of the validity of wills, and contentious and non-contentious probate applications right through to managing and identifying tax issues to ensure the appropriate and timely finalisation of an estate.
Trust and Estate Litigation
As families become more complex and wealthier, the potential for disputes also increases.
These disputes can relate to:
tracing of trust assets and recovery
proper use of powers of attorney
trust administration and accounting
proving lost or copied wills
proving wills
the interpretation of wills
testamentary capacity
obligations of executors and trustees
inheritance claims.
Our lawyers are experienced and trusted advisors to individuals, trustees and beneficiaries, to advise upon their rights and duties and navigate the process to resolution.
Probate & Estate Administration Pricing
Our costs for obtaining the Grant of Probate and administering an estate typically range from £2,500 to £25,000 plus vat and disbursements. However, in very complex cases this may be higher. The exact costs depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. For example, if there are multiple beneficiaries and a full inheritance tax account is required, the cost can be higher.
Included within the price:
- Dedicated and experienced solicitor allocated to your matter
- Initial advice and discussion
- Review of documents to identify Executor and Beneficiaries
- Secure relevant valuations of estate assets
- Preparation and submission of short-form inheritance tax return
- Drafting probate application
- Submitting an application for probate
- Encashing estate assets (excluding the sale of the property)
- Distributing estate
We will provide an estimate of our fees at the outset of the estate administration which will be charged on a time basis.
Our hourly rates are as follows:-
Senior partner/Consultant £400 plus vat
Solicitor 3 years + pqe £300 plus vat
Paralegal £160 plus vat
Disbursements
Probate application fee £155 plus additional copies of £150 per copy
Statutory advertisement £150 plus vat
Additional Services not included:-
Dealing with income tax and capital gain tax issues
Preparing deeds of variation
Claiming for reduced inheritance tax
Acting in the sale of property (that matter will be handed to our residential conveyancing department who will be happy to provide you with details of their fees)
Timescale
On average, estates take 26 to 30 weeks from taking initial instructions to distributing the majority of the assets to the beneficiaries.