A Probate Solicitor is a qualified and experienced legal professional who specialises in advising or representing the personal representatives (Executors) and beneficiaries of an estate on all matters related to settling the final affairs of a deceased person.
Our Probate Lawyers are hugely experienced, you will find our expertise of great strength when you need it most and our approach to your affairs will be personalised, warm, friendly and compassionate.
After the difficulties of dealing with a bereavement, the last thing people want to do is deal with probate and estate administration such as attending to financial matters, informing pension providers, paying bills and disposing of any property within the estate.
That is why we offer a dedicated service to deal with the administration of the estate on your behalf undertaken by our Probate Solicitors.
Contact our Probate Lawyers in Wrexham, Ellesmere Port, Shotton, Rhyl or Colwyn Bay for expert advice and support and we’ll ensure that the estate is administered as quickly and efficiently as possible.
We understand that there are financial constraints to be considered and we are sympathetic to the fact that most estates do not involve a great number of assets or money to be distributed. That is why we offer a fixed price probate service dependent upon the value of the estate.
This is because the larger the estate the more assets, life policies, investments, pensions, property etc there are to be collected in and then to be administered to a larger number of beneficiaries. We are aware that most firms charge an hourly rate but we believe, in this time of great stress and worry, the least we can do is provide you with the certainty of a fixed fee for undertaking the probate work for you.
| Value of Estate: | Fixed Legal Fees |
|---|---|
| up to £175,000 | £1,000 + VAT + Disbursements |
| £175,000 - £250,000 | £1,500 + VAT + Disbursements |
| £250,000 - £500,000 | £3,000 + VAT + Disbursements |
| £500,000 - £750,000 | £5,000 + VAT + Disbursements |
| £750,000+ | To be agreed |
Disbursements will approximately be in the sum of £400.00:
If there is no inheritance tax to pay and we can use the simpler inheritance tax form, our fees will be £500 + VAT.
If the more complicated inheritance tax form is necessary, our fees will be £750 + VAT. There is also a court fee of £155 for the Probate Registry.
We do not charge any upfront fee and we are paid at the end when the matter is settled. Disbursements are payable in advance, however.
The fixed fees set out above are for us to be instructed to administer the whole of the Estate.
This would include advising organisations of the death, collecting in information regarding the assets, drafting the appropriate documents, ensuring all assets are collected and liabilities are paid, distributing the Estate appropriately.
In order to execute the Will and carry out the process of administering the estate, permission must be obtained through a Grant of Probate application, or alternatively through Letters of Administration if there is no Will.
A Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration may not always be necessary if the assets owned by the deceased have a value of less than £10,000 or the assets were owned jointly.
We understand that some people are happy to collect the assets and distribute the Estate themselves but would like some assistance in preparing the documents that are required to obtain a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration.
If you would like us to act on your behalf to obtain the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration only on your behalf, we can do this for a fixed fee.
Only the people named as Executors of the Will can apply for probate.
If the deceased did not leave a Will, the next of kin can apply for Letters of Administration in the following order of priority:
Please note, if you are named as the Executor of the Will, or you are next of kin, if you don’t want to act in this role, you don’t have to.
Inheritance tax must be paid before probate will be granted. This is often a cause of frustration and potentially delays, but there are several procedures available to enable the payment of inheritance tax before probate is granted.
For more information, call our Probate Solicitors for a no-obligation initial conversation and find out how we can help.
There’s normally no Inheritance Tax to pay if either:
If the estate’s value is below the threshold, we’ll still need to report it to HMRC.
If the beneficiaries are children of the deceased (including adopted, foster or stepchildren) or grandchildren your threshold can increase to £500,000.
If the deceased was married or in a civil partnership and their estate is worth less than the threshold, any unused threshold can be added to their partner’s threshold when they die.
This means their threshold can be as much as £1,000,000.
Once we obtain an initial instruction from you, we will review the estate and provide you with a summary of the work we will undertake. This will normally involve contacting banks, utility companies, local councils etc and in the meantime preparing legal documents to enable us to register with the Probate Registry for which a fee will be payable. Dependent upon the value of the estate we may well need to contact HMRC if there are tax considerations.
In broad terms, the work involved in dealing with the estate includes:
Once all assets have been collected in, we will then settle any inheritance tax claim, close accounts and policies and collect in any assets that are due to the estate. We will then settle any liabilities before drawing up a final estate account which will detail all of the assets and liabilities we have administered for the estate. Once completed and agreed we will then distribute the estate.
Generally, probate work can be concluded within 2 to 3 months, however, this can vary depending upon the size of the estate and the speed at which third parties, such as banks and insurance companies, return to us.
Call our Probate Solicitors today for a free, no-obligation initial conversation and find out how our Fixed Fee Probate services can help in your situation.
Established in 2009, we have become the Probate Lawyers of choice for clients in Wrexham, Cheshire and the North Wales area delivering a truly exceptional legal service within local communities.
Our friendly team will immediately put you at your ease and will explain everything in a clear straight-forward way, keeping you informed at all stages, to help minimise your stress and concern.
We offer a free first consultation over the phone or in-person with our Probate Solicitors in Wrexham, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Shotton (Deeside) and in Cheshire (Ellesmere Port).
You can contact us today, safe in the knowledge that one of our dedicated Wills and Probate Solicitors will handle your case with care and attention to detail.
We regularly carry out probate services for clients across North Wales, Cheshire, Merseyside, and Liverpool. As recognised probate law experts we can support your needs wherever you live in Wales, England & Northern Ireland.
We will respond to any query within one hour of normal office hours, or the next working day if you contact us during the evening or at the weekend.
Paul Rossiter
Paul Rossiter
Managing Director
Managing Director
I am the Managing Director of PSR Solicitors. After working in various law firms, both small high street firms and a larger practice in Manchester, I saw a gap in the market for a high quality practice that had the same core high street values of being personable and approachable and combining them with the efficiency and professionalism of a larger practice. PSR Solicitors was therefore established in 2009 in Shotton, Deeside with this aim. Since then PSR Solicitors has provided high quality legal services to local clients throughout North Wales and Cheshire.
I live in Chester with my young family and 2 dogs and enjoy regular holidays along the coast of North Wales.
I have recently been asked to join the board of trustees at Platform For Life, a mental health counselling charity in Chester. Good mental health is the foundation of a more fulfilled, happy and healthy life, yet many families struggle to access the help and support they need to achieve it. Platform for Life offers free local counselling and play therapy for families who would otherwise not be able to afford it.
Nia Edwards
Nia Edwards
Solicitor - Head of Private Client & Probate
Solicitor - Head of Private Client & Probate
I joined PSR Solicitors in March 2020, to head up the Estate Planning & Private Client department.
Having graduated from the University of York in 2012 with a degree in Applied Social Sciences: Crime and Criminal Justice. I went on to complete the Graduate Diploma in Law and the Legal Practice Course at the University of Law in Christleton, Chester.
I then qualified as a solicitor, after completing my two-year training contract, at a firm in Chester and then worked at a firm in Liverpool before moving to PSR Solicitors.
I am now the Head of ‘Private Client’ at PSR Solicitors, based in our Shotton office. I undertake various types of legal services such as Wills and Probate, Estate Administration, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Landlord & Tenant as well as Divorce and family matters.
Outside of work, I enjoy going for walks with my dog, spending time with my family, and attending sporting events.
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