Probate firm - how much?? Not needed surely?

[PermanentTemporary]

I applied for probate after my dh died and I remember it being pretty straightforward. He didn't have a big estate and it all went to me apart from some specific bequests.

My partner's dad died and has much more to leave. It's all going to his widow. The probate helpline is sponsored by a company that has quoted a fee of 2% of the estate. Sounds pointless to me. Surely he doesn't need to use a firm? Has anyone found them helpful?

Even if you use a firm, they will need to be provided with all the details of where the assets are and the current valuation. Once you have got those details together, it’s not a big step to just apply for probate oneself.

we used solicitors to transfer ownership of the property and to wind up a trust on the death of the second partner.

otherwise, DIY all the way

og snd check for yourself that any life insurance policies are written in trust while you can still do something g about it.

It's all going to his widow. The probate helpline is sponsored by a company that has quoted a fee of 2% of the estate. Sounds pointless to me. Surely he doesn't need to use a firm? Has anyone found them helpful?

There are two steps to probate - one is filing the Inheritance Tax forms with HMRC and the other is applying for probate. It's the tax bit (if it applies) that is really the complicated thing rather than applying for probate but you can't apply for probate until the tax (if there is any to pay) is paid. Many estates (low value or whole going to spouse) won't have any tax to pay anyway.

It is worth using a solicitor (I don't know what you mean by a probate company exactly but you want a solicitor specialisted in inheritance and probate if you need help) if the value of the estate means that there is or could be tax to pay or if you need to apply for allowances (eg. a deceased parent gets an allowance in respect of the family home if left to a child but you need to apply for it).

If it's all going to a spouse it's probable that there won't be any tax to pay depending on whats in the estate, the value of it and if there are other bequests.

Then once you've got probate, it's just about calling in all the assets (ie. selling ISAs or stocks or shares or property) or just transferring them to the name of the beneficiary if that is what they want. If there is a lot of individual assets (lots of stocks and shares, bank accounts and so in) it will be time consuming admin but its all doable by yourself.

It is possible also to negotiate with a solicitors firm anyway and agree the charges and what you want them to do. So you could say
I just want you to advice me on tax, fill in the tax forms and fill in the probate applications - I'll provide all the financial info, I am not prepared to pay a % of the estate as this is a small job. Can we agree a fixed fee or an hourly rate? Shop around if you decide you need lawyers.

From what you say, if it's a small estate, all going to the spouse and you've got the time/energy to do it, you could do it yourself.

I did my mums probate
for my dads I used a company called Farewill as there was a trust
they were excellent and kept me updated every week
set fee of 650

If you want to use a solicitors, get some more quotes. Pricing as a % of the estate is quite an old fashioned approach and rarely good for the consumer!

I needed some assistance with probate for my husband's will but didn't need a solicitor as executor. Actually this was suggested to be by the solicitor who wrote our wills when I spoke to him after my husband died. He suggested that I should go on a job by job basis. I remained the executor and he took on the bits that needed his skills. It worked very well and saved me quite a lot.

It depends on the estate. A friend and her sister’s DF had a complicated estate. They felt it worth paying the % charge.

If the will is straightforward.....for example an estate under inheritance tax level (usually £1M if there was a husband and wife and all inheritance going to children or grandchildren) then it's very easy indeed to apply for probate online.

Even if you DO have to pay IHT, I can't see that it would be complicated to organise that online.

It's a really easy process

I'm sure there are situations where it's much more complicated than that ^

I think id still start it online and see how I go