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Probate Solicitors Brighton and Hove
Our probate solicitors in Brighton and Hove balance a sensitive, client-focused approach, with process-driven efficiency to execute your probate with pinpoint care and precision. Don’t compromise on quality and let us advise you where it matters most.
Call us on 01273 726951 to arrange a consultation.
PROBATE SOLICITORS BRIGHTON AND HOVE
Probate Services
CONTENTIOUS PROBATE
PROBATE
INHERITANCE TAX AND RELIEFS ADVICE
Probate Solicitors and Support
Our expertise covers:
Our standard probate service covers the majority of clients and involves sitting down with you to explain the probate process and what you need to do. Our probate solicitors will normally manage the process from end-to-end to help ease your burden.
Complex Probate
The more that’s left behind, the more complicated it can be to distribute an estate. Our probate solicitors can advise on what to do if an estate contains business assets, international property or exceeds the inheritance tax threshold, among other things.
Contentious Probate / More information
Family tensions can bubble over when someone passes away. If you think a will is going to be disputed, our you would like to challenge the contents of a will, our probate solicitors can advise on what steps you need to take.
Executorship Advice
There is a lot of responsibility placed on named executors. Our probate solicitors can offer advice if you are looking to apply for the grant of probate yourself, but want to understand what to do, and when.
Inheritance Tax and Reliefs Advice / More information
Amending your will with a codicil can be risky if done incorrectly. Our wills, trusts and probate solicitors can advise when a codicil is appropriate and if necessary, draft one for you.
Trusts Set-Up
Inheritance tax is complicated and planning what happens to your estate is essential to ensure your wealth and possessions are passed on correctly and as efficiently as possible. Our wills, trusts and probate solicitors can assist with maximising what your beneficiaries receive.
How Can Our Probate Solicitors Help?
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Why Choose Britton and Time’s…
Probate Solicitors?
Britton and Time is proudly regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and our solicitors believe in offering no nonsense, common sense advice with up-front pricing. We do this through our 6-point service guarantee:
PROFESSIONAL FEE PROMISE
We will offer fixed fees where possible, and if not, we will state clearly what your case is estimated to cost, alongside hourly rate options so you can judge what works for you
SURPRISE-FREE PRICING
We will inform you when we know there will be third party costs to be paid. If additional third party payments are required, we will always seek your approval first
REASONABLE TIMELINES
We will let you know how long your case will take, what delays you can expect, and our solicitors will always reply to you in a timely manner
BILLING TRANSPARENCY
We bill every month, with detailed accounts of what you are being charged for. Our solicitors are happy to discuss if you have any questions about your bill.
CLEAR CASE MANAGEMENT
Before work starts, we will tell you what work needs to be done to reach the best outcome for you, and what your options are once you reach that point
OBJECTIVE ADVICE
We never take on cases we do not feel we can do justice and if your case does not need a solicitor, we will tell you just that and advise you what your options are
Probate Explained
Not everyone will go through probate, but for those who do, it can be confusing and stressful. The circumstances which bring probate about are unpleasant, but our probate solicitors in Brighton and Hove ensure that the probate itself does not need to be.
What Is Probate?
Probate is the process of dealing with the estate of someone who has passed away. It can be done yourself, or with the help of a probate solicitor, and all applications culminate in a grant of probate, and the distribution of the deceased’s estate. Where the deceased’s estate is worth less than £50,000, probate may not be needed at all, or, if required, can be done by the named executor in the will themselves.
Why Use a Probate Solicitor?
No one is taught how to be the executor of a will, and understanding everything that must be done during probate can be daunting, especially if you are the sole executor. Fundamentally, probate involves extensive administration to find and value everything in the deceased’s estate, arrange the inheritance tax due on it, and distribute the assets. If you did not know the deceased very well, or they didn’t keep good financial records, it can be difficult to know exactly what they had, let alone locate it. This is where our probate solicitors can help to both explain the probate process, and help you wherever needed.
What If There Is No Will?
If the deceased didn’t leave a will, our probate solicitors can first run a search to verify if indeed a will was not made. If no will exists, we can advise on the intestacy rules and the order in which the estate should be distributed. You will need to apply for a letters of administration, rather than a grant of probate, but the remainder of probate is broadly the same.
What Is The Cost of Probate?
The cost of probate varies on a case by case basis. Our probate solicitors have compiled a Guide to Probate Fees and Work, which details the cost of probate, how long it will take and what you can expect from us.
Continue Exploring Probate
CONTENTIOUS PROBATE
INHERITANCE TAX AND RELIEFS ADVICE
GUIDE: PROBATE FEES AND WORK
PROBATE SOLICITORS BRIGHTON AND HOVE
Contact our Probate Solicitors Today
Our probate solicitors in Brighton and Hove are available to discuss your matter in privacy. Contact us today, or call us on our 24/7 line 01273 726951 and we can book in your initial consultation
Guide: Probate Fees and Work
Probate services and the cost of probate can vary wildly between firms. At Britton and Time, our probate solicitors in Brighton and Hove are committed to giving you clear estimates of costs, telling you how long your case will last, and advising on what we are doing for you.
What can you expect from our probate solicitors?
Average Costs
A simple, uncontested probate will cost in the region of £3,950 plus VAT. This is based on the approximate 13 hours of work it will take to distribute the assets in an estate valued at less than £325,000, consisting of standard assets based in the UK (cash, a house and various personal possessions) with a small number of beneficiaries. Costs can increase with complexity and we don’t offer fixed fees for probate.
The only additional fees payable are the disbursements and third party costs (below), and inheritance tax.
Inheritance tax on the estate will need to be paid separately out of the estate. For more information on how much this may be, please see HMRC’s inheritance tax calculator.
Hourly Rates
Our solicitors charge £200 to £300 per hour, plus VAT depending on the seniority of who is working on your probate. Our average costs represent the work involved across the 10+ months it normally takes to achieve a grant of probate and settle the estate.
Work Involved
The following list of work is typical of probates carried out by Britton and Time, and additional work that might be involved depending on your situation.
Before the Grant of Probate
- Registering the death and arranging a funeral service
- Identifying and valuing the estate and any liabilities
- Locating all beneficiaries of the will
- Ensuring the settlement of any outstanding taxes owed
- Liaising with banks and any other creditors or debtors
- Advising on inheritance tax liabilities
- Calculating and arranging payment of inheritance tax
- Drafting and submitting the inheritance tax return
- Applying for the grant of probate
- Advising on any tax implications relating to the sale of the deceased’s property
- Organising the sale of any property and advising on any inheritance tax implications
After a grant of probate is obtained
- Accessing and collecting in the estate’s financial assets
- Paying any outstanding debts from the estate assets and managing pensions overpayments
- Arranging a Deceased Estates notice
- Distributing the estate in accordance with the will
- Advising in relation to any trusts created in the will
Advising on more complex work
- Negotiating and reaching settlements with HMRC
- Advising beneficiaries of the estate on their personal tax position in light of the gifts made in the deceased’s will
- Advising executors and beneficiaries in relation to contentious probate issues
- Advice in relation to the application of Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief
Factors Affecting Cost
No two probate cases are the same, and there are many factors that affect how much your case will cost.
Cost Variables Include
- Doubts over the validity of the will, or when the deceased died without a will and the estate is complicated
- Whether there is a valid, uncontested will and the executors named in the will are willing and able to act
- The quality of financial records left by the deceased
- If the deceased left a complicated will that included trusts
- There are a significant number of beneficiaries, typically 10 or more, whether they can be found, and if any of the beneficiaries are charitable organisations
- The estate holds overseas assets, including property or stocks and shares
- There are business or agricultural assets in the estate
- The estate contains intangible assets, including patents, copyrights and trademarks
- There are assets that are bringing in regular income
- The estate has significant assets bringing the estate value over the inheritance tax threshold (currently £325,000 as of March 2020)
- The estate is bankrupt, or there are doubts over it being bankrupt
- The residence and domicile of the deceased
- The existence of trusts in relation to the estate, whether pre-existing or created under the will
- Actions of third parties including the probate registry, HMRC, companies in which the deceased held interests and banks with which the deceased had accounts
- Whether the executors would like to vary the will
Disbursements and Third Party Costs
These are costs that must be paid to other parties throughout probate. Our probate solicitors will advise on what disbursements you will need to pay. If any additional disbursements are required, we will always consult with you first.
Disbursements for Probate Include
- The probate application fee of £155
- Placing an advertisement in the London Gazette to protect against unexpected claims from unknown creditors (£70 – £285 plus VAT)
- Copies of the grant of probate at £1.50 per copy. One copy is recommended per asset
- Copies of Land Registry documents at £3 per copy
- Bankruptcy checks on beneficiaries at £2 per beneficiary
- Financial asset search and will search at £155 plus VAT
- Inheritance tax and any other applicable taxes. These will vary depending on the size and the nature of the assets in the estate
How Long Will Probate Take?
A straightforward probate matter will take a minimum if 10 months for the grant of probate to be approved. More complicated cases, especially those with overseas assets, can 1-2 years or longer, depending again on how complex those assets are.
Meet Your Probate Team
Probate Solicitors in Brighton
Paul Britton
Head of Private Client, Solicitor Director
Elisabeth Squires
Solicitor
Joseph Navas
Solicitor
Rory Lindsay
Paralegal