Having a valid Will is essential to ensure your estate is distributed according to your wishes. Without one, the law determines how your assets are divided, which may not reflect your intentions.

Our expert team will guide you through the process, helping you:

• Decide how your assets are distributed.
• Appoint trusted executors to manage your estate.
• Provide for loved ones, including guardianship for children.

We also recommend regular reviews of your Will to reflect life changes, such as marriage, divorce or new family members. Let us ensure your Will is up-to-date and fully aligned with your wishes.

Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA)

A Lasting Power of Attorney allows you to appoint someone you trust to make decisions on your behalf if you’re unable to. We help you set up LPAs tailored to your needs, covering:

• Health and Welfare: Decisions about medical care, living arrangements and end-of-life care.
• Property and Financial Affairs: Managing bank accounts, property, investments and tax matters.

Without an LPA, your loved ones may face delays, court costs and stress to manage your affairs. Let us help you put these protections in place for peace of mind.

Probate and Estate Administration

Dealing with a loved one’s estate can be overwhelming. Whether you’re navigating probate or administering an estate, our team provides practical support and guidance.

Our services include:

• Applying for a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration.
• Identifying, valuing and securing assets.
• Settling debts, liabilities and inheritance tax.
• Distributing the estate according to the Will or intestacy laws.

We’re here to make the process as smooth and stress-free as possible, handling every detail with professionalism and care.

Hourly Rate: £300 plus VAT

Average time spent will be dependent  on size and complexity of estate:   usually between 5 to 50 hours so range of between  £1,500 – £15,000 plus VAT

The exact number of hours required to deal with a matter will depend on the individual circumstances of that matter.

Disbursement expenses likely to be incurred (other expenses may become payable), paid for with funds available in the estate but if none, we usually ask you to pay the expenses in advances:-

1. Reviewing information provided by you in relation to all the assets and all the debts or liabilities of the deceased.
2. Estimate the value of the deceased’s estate by writing to banks, building societies etc we are aware of to ascertain the market value of any accounts, holdings and assets as at the date of the death
3. Ascertain the proper beneficiaries of the estate
4. Arrange completion and submission of the appropriate HM Revenue & Customs Inheritance Tax Forms on your behalf
5. Prepare an executor’s Oath for swearing by executors/PRs
6. Provide you with draft Inheritance Tax forms and executors Oath for review. Once approved we will arrange for you to swear the Oath
7. Submit the Will, Oath and Inheritance Tax Form(s) to Probate Register for a Grant of Probate/Grant of Letters of Administration
8. Deal with any enquiries raised by HMRC in relation to the Inheritance Tax return
9. Once the Grant has been obtained, deal with the collection of all the assets and discharge all liabilities of the deceased
10. Ascertain the balance of the estate and distribute it or hold it in trust under the terms of the Will or the rules of intestacy
11. Prepare Estate Accounts setting out full details of the administration
12. Time spent will include meetings with you, considering and preparing and working on papers; routine letters e-mails and telephone calls made and received.

1. The sale of any property
2. If further assets are discovered after the submission of the appropriate HM Revenue & Customs Forms, this information must be reported to HM Revenue & Customs, Inheritance Tax BX9 1HT. This is your responsibility. If this occurs after the completion of the administration of the estate, we can assist you and a separate client care letter will be sent to you.
3. Negotiations with HM Revenue & Customs as to the valuation of any assets
4. The Deceased’s Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax affairs prior to death
5. The estate’s Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax affairs
6. Claims made against the estate
7. Legal disputes between beneficiaries, for example on the division of assets
8. Disclaimers and Deeds of Variation
9. Anything else not specifically identified under Work Included above

• Domicile issues
• Interests in Trusts or other estates
• Claiming a Transferable Nil-rate band
• Claiming the Residence Ni-rate band
• Claiming the Transferable Residence Nil-Rate band
• Intangible assets such as digital assets or intellectual property
• Investigations into missing family members
• Determining appropriate parties in intestacy
• The complexity and range of assets and debts
• The number of beneficiaries we need to communicate with
• Unforeseen complications
• The speed at which third parties respond to our request for information
• Issues raised by Inland Revenue which may cause extra work to be undertaken
• Assets in foreign jurisdictions