Private Client Law

In a complex area of the law with important tax implications, you need to rely on specialist tax and estate planning solicitors who will take the time, care and sensitivity to talk you through wills and probate law and how this might affect the financial security of your family and dependants.

Solicitors for the elderly client

We pride ourselves on our specific expertise as Trust and Estate practitioners who take extra care and sensitivity in handling legal matters for elderly clients.

You have a range of different options for managing your legal and financial affairs should you fall ill, become housebound or have to rely on care services.

From appointing relatives or friends to act on your behalf with lasting powers of attorney through to estate planning and asset sheltering, we will help you put in place an effective strategy for protecting your family finances when the cost of care rises.

With care regulations constantly under review, we will ensure that you are up to date with all the latest legislation, and that you can therefore make informed decisions about your care and managing your wealth.

We can assist you with the preparation of wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney.

Please contact us and provide details of the service that you require and we will provide you with a fixed fee and confirm any disbursements that will be incurred, including Land Registry fees or fees due to the Office of the Public Guardian.

If you require assistance with the administration of an estate, please contact us and provide us with further information and we will be able to provide an estimate of our costs. We usually charge on the basis of an hourly rate of £250, plus VAT, but can also provide fixed fees depending on the circumstances. Most estates will fall within the range of £2,000-£6,000, plus VAT and disbursements such as Probate Registry fees, Land Registry fees, and statutory notices. Our charges will be confirmed based on the work involved and the complexity of an estate. Please note the current rate of VAT is 20%.

Example template (range of costs with fixed fee for additional work)

Applying for the grant, collecting and distributing the assets

We anticipate this will take between X and X hours work at £250 per hour plus VAT at 20%. Total costs estimated at £1250-£2500 (+VAT at 20%).

The exact cost will depend on the individual circumstances of the matter. For example, if there is one beneficiary and no property, costs will be at the lower end of the range. If there are multiple beneficiaries, a property and multiple bank accounts, costs will be at the higher end.

We will handle the full process for you. This quote is for estates where:

• There is a valid will
• There is no more than one property
• There are no more than 3 bank or building society accounts
• There are no other intangible assets
• There are 2-4 beneficiaries
• There are no disputes between beneficiaries on division of assets. If disputes arise this is likely to lead to an increase in costs
• There is no inheritance tax payable and the executors do not need to submit a full account to HMRC
• There are no claims made against the estate

Disbursements included in this fee (where applicable VAT is included at 20%):

• Probate application fee of £270 (approximate – cost varies according to estate value)
• Bankruptcy-only Land Charges Department searches (£2 per beneficiary)
• Post in The London Gazette (Protects against unexpected claims from unknown creditors.)
• Post in a Local Newspaper – This also helps to protect against unexpected claims. Media costs are approximately £120 +VAT @20% – this is done through agents.

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Potential additional costs

• If there is no will or the estate consists of any share holdings (stocks and bonds) there is likely to be additional costs that could range significantly depending on the estate and how it is to be dealt with. We can give you a more accurate quote once we have more information.
• If any additional copies of the grant are required, they will cost £2 (1 per asset usually).
• Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property in the estate is not included.

How long will this take?

On average, estates that fall within this range are dealt with within X-X months. Typically, obtaining the grant of probate takes X-X weeks. Collecting assets then follows, which can take between X-X weeks. Once this has been done, we can distribute the assets, which normally takes X-X weeks.