Trusts are widely admired and recognised in many jurisdictions around the world. They have a wide variety of applications and Vardags’ private client team has extensive experience in the creation, administration and termination of family trusts both in England and offshore.
The first step is to arrange a meeting with one of our solicitors.
Probate is the entire process for managing and distributing the assets of a person who has died. We understand that bereavement can be a very emotional event and our supportive team will help you every step of the way.
Our Probate Solicitor, Claire Trotel, has a wealth of experience handling work relating to the administration of estates; drafting of Wills; estate planning; and Powers of Attorney. During her career, Claire has been involved in many high value and complex estate administration cases involving UK and international assets.
We offer a full estate administration service, guiding you through the process from start to finish. The service would typically include:
The exact cost depends on the individual circumstances of the matter, including:
We charge based on the time spend administering the estate. Our hourly rates are between £205 to £245 plus VAT for trainees and £495 plus VAT for solicitors.
We can only provide an estimate of the likely costs of our probate services once we have fully discussed the matter with you and reviewed the paperwork. However, we can provide an indication of our likely fees associated with work of varying complexity.
Low complexity - from £10,000 to £20,000 plus VAT
Mid complexity - from £20,000 to £40,000 plus VAT
High complexity - in excess of £50,000 plus VAT
In addition to our fees, there are also third party costs (known as “disbursements”). We handle these payments on your behalf, to ensure that the administration progresses smoothly and efficiently.
Examples of these fees are as follows:
Probate court fee |
£155 plus £1.50 per copy |
Advert posted in the London Gazette – Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors. |
£92 plus VAT |
Advert posted in local newspaper – This helps to protect against unexpected claims. |
Variable |
Landmark Financial Assets Search (Lost Assets Search) |
£155 plus VAT |
Copy of death certificates (per copy) |
£11-15 |
Copy of divorce papers |
£10 – £45 depending on whether court and case number known |
Additional costs to those set out above may arise for various case specific reasons, including, but are not limited to:
On average, estates that fall under the inheritance tax threshold are resolved within 12 to 18 months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes 6 to 8 months, followed by the collection of assets, which can take between 8 to 12 weeks. Once this has been finalised, the assets can be distributed, which normally takes 4-8 weeks. Sometimes estates can be finalised much quicker, depending on the turnaround times at HMRC and the probate registry.
Higher value and more complex estates (especially if the distribution of the estate is disputed) can take far longer to finalise.
We offer a free consultation to qualifying individuals. Please call our confidential enquiry line on 020 7404 9390. Lines are staffed 24 hours.
When you contact us a member of our client relations team will take the full details of your situation, assess whether we can assist you, and if so, determine the best team for your case.
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