Ensuring Your Last Wishes Are Carried Out
The death of someone close is a distressing time.
The last thing those who are grieving need is to deal with endless paperwork, a dispute over their estate or problems with probate.
That’s why our experts are on hand to draw up wills and to help you deal with probate and the administration of estates.
Download Our Guide To Probate
Why Everyone Should Make A Will
If you do not make a will, the state will decide who will inherit your estate, in accordance with the rules of intestacy.
The people you want to inherit may get nothing.
Expert advice is essential to ensure the will you make is legal and its provisions are clear.
There are some circumstances where it is especially important to ensure you have a will:
- If you are not married to your partner – partners do not automatically have the same legal rights as husbands, wives, and civil partners. Even if you have lived together for many years, your partner may be left with nothing if you do not make a will.
- If you have children – who will provide for them and take care of them?
- If several people depend on you financially – there could be confusion or disputes and several people may make a claim against your estate.
- You may not be taking advantage of beneficial inheritance tax provisions.
It is important that you keep a will up to date. Major life changes like marriage, divorce, separation, and having children could mean changes to your will.
What We Will Do For You
Our team of solicitors will ensure your will is clear, easy to understand, and legal. We are also able to help with:
- Choosing your Executors or indeed acting as professional Executors and Trustees
- Inheritance tax and estate planning
- Guardianship
- Trusts, including those for children and vulnerable adults
Dealing With Probate
When someone dies, an executor or administrator may apply for the legal right to deal with their money, property, and possessions.
They might have to deal with the Probate Registry, find out if there was a will, and inform several official organisations about the death.
If you’ve lost someone, sorting through paperwork and contacting the organisations your loved one dealt with is the last thing you want to do.
Passmores Solicitors is here to help you. We’re experienced in probate and estate administration and we can help you whether your loved one had a will or not.
We provide a friendly, sympathetic, and professional service and our advice is free of legal jargon.
What We Will Do For You
We can help you by:
- Helping with funeral arrangements
- Notifying organisations of the death
- Assisting with the probate application and administration of the estate from beginning to end
- Obtaining the paperwork needed such as a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration
- Dealing with liabilities and protecting the executors from future claims
- Dealing with the calculation and payment of inheritance tax.
- Dealing with distribution of the estate (money, property and possessions) in accordance with the will or rules of intestacy
- Dealing with probate disputes, whether bringing the claim or defending it
- Assisting with house clearance and the eventual sale of any property.
Our Fees
We offer a fixed fee for applications for Grant of Probate which is limited by the amount of assets in the estate. The price below details what is included and what limitations there are for the service. The Grant of Probate services include the completion and submission of the relevant forms and other required documentation for taxation as well as the completion and submission of forms for the grant of probate.
The below prices do not include VAT or disbursements.
- Grant of Probate
Non-Taxable Estates - £650
- Includes:
Submission of Inheritance Tax Form 205
Application for Grant of Probate
This fee allows for the following to be included in the estate:
2 Properties
5 Bank/Building Society Accounts
5 BeneficiariesIntangible assets may also be included such as shareholdings
Timescale:
Attaining grant of probate for a typical estate can take between 4 and 6 weeks.
- Grant of Probate
Taxable Estates - £850
- Includes:
Submission of Inheritance Tax Forms to HMRC & Arranging for Tax to be Paid
Application for Grant of Probate
This fee allows for the following to be included in the estate:
2 Properties
5 Bank/Building Society Accounts
5 BeneficiariesIntangible assets may also be included such as shareholdings
Timescale:
Attaining grant of probate for a typical estate can take between 6 and 10 weeks.
Grant of Probate and Estate Administration
The below is an estimate for attaining a grant of probate as well as administering a non-taxable estate. Our fees are calculated on an hourly rate and an estimated cost for this service is provided below based on a typical case. This estimate includes completing and submitting paperwork in relation to taxation, application for the grant of probate, discharging any liabilities, and the administration of the estate on your behalf.
Estimated Cost: £1,110
Hourly Rate: £185
Estimated Hours: 6
Estimated Timescale: 3 – 6 months
Includes:
Completion and submission of Inheritance Tax forms for non-taxable estates.
The preparation and submission of the application for grant of probate
Gathering the estate’s assets
Distributing those assets to up to 5 beneficiaries of the estate
The estimate is based on a service which includes us dealing with one property and five bank/building society accounts. This would apply if it is a non-taxable estate and where we would be distributing assets to up to five beneficiaries. The fee does not include disbursements which are discussed in greater detail below.
Get a more accurate quote
Every case is different, to get a bespoke estimate contact us today and we can discuss the specifics of yours.
Telephone: 01446 721000
Meet The Team
Carli Evans
Partner, LLB Law
Qualified: 2006
With experience in drafting wills, probate, lasting powers of attorney and court of protection work, Carli has an interest in helping elderly clients. A fluent Welsh speaker, Carli is a full accredited member of Solicitors for the Elderly. In 2013, she became a full member of STEP (the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners). She has conducted talks for the Alzheimer’s Society, local women’s guilds meetings, and Age Concern. Carli also has an interest in conveyancing. She graduated from Cardiff University in 2003, and completed the Legal Practice Course also at Cardiff University in 2004. Carli qualified as a solicitor in 2006 and joined Passmores as a private client solicitor. She became a partner in 2011.
Elin Jones
Elin is a qualified Solicitor who works within the Private Client department alongside Carli Evans. Elin assists on probate matters while also managing her own caseload, and has experience in will drafting, including the preparation of new wills, making amendments to existing wills and will signing. Elin also advises on and prepares Lasting Powers of Attorney and deals with probate matters from initial instruction through to completion.
Elin is involved in the monthly free advice clinic for Age Connect in the town centre and also assists with the monthly clinic held at Golau Caredig, as well as supporting fundraising for these worthwhile causes.
Elin is a fluent Welsh speaker who completed her undergraduate degree in 2022 at Cardiff University before going on to study the Legal Practice Course, also at Cardiff University, which she completed in the summer of 2023. During this time, she also worked part time at Passmores as a Paralegal and went on to complete her Training Contract with the firm.
Download Our Guide To Probate
Our Process
Probate
Stage 1
Valuing the Estate
At this stage we will go through the deceased’s papers and bank statements to establish their assets and liabilities. This can be quite straightforward, however in some cases there may be multiple investments, properties, and other personal belongings to consider.
At this stage we may need to contact banks, lenders, fund managers, pension providers, the local government, the DWP, and HMRC.
Stage 2
File Inheritance Tax Forms
Regardless of whether inheritance tax must be paid inheritance tax forms must be completed. One form is used for non-taxable estates, another for taxable estates.
The Executor will complete the related forms as well as any additional schedules to establish the amount of tax payable.
Stage 3
Pay Inheritance Tax
If there is inheritance tax payable on the estate then it must be paid prior to obtaining the grant of probate. Funds can be transferred directly from one of the deceased’s accounts for this if there are sufficient funds.
Stage 4
File Probate Forms
Once we have assessed the size of the estate we will be able to complete the probate application form by applying to the Probate Registry.
The Executor’s will need to swear an oath at this stage to confirm that the details of the application are correct
Stage 5
Pay Probate Fees
At this stage we will pay the applicable probate fees on your behalf. These are fixed regardless of the size of the estate and are detailed above in the disbursements section.
Stage 6
Administer the Estate
We will collect in the assets of the estate, discharge the liabilities and subsequently distribute the estate in accordance with a Will or the rule of intestacy.
TALK TO OUR WILL WRITING AND PROBATE EXPERTS
If you’re looking for a solicitor in Barry, the Vale of Glamorgan, or Cardiff to write your will or deal with probate or estate administration, please get in touch. Our team members are sympathetic and efficient, and will draw up a will to your instructions.
Contact Our Barry Office
Contact Our Cardiff Office