Applying for the Grant where there is no inheritance tax to pay

Applying for the Grant where there is no inheritance tax to pay

At BTTJ our service is completely bespoke to you and sometimes clients wish us to act for them on a more limited basis as they feel able to ascertain the value of the assets themselves, but do not feel comfortable dealing with the actual probate application.

In these cases, we can act for you on a grant only basis.  You provide us with all the values of the assets (you take responsibility for providing the correct information) and we then complete the documents to apply for a grant.  This normally consists of: –

  • Legal Statement
  • IHT 400 (if required)

In this case we will agree a fixed fee with you.

If the estate is an excepted estate (broadly speaking an excepted estate is a small estate or an estate where there is no tax payable because of spouse or charitable exemptions and is £1,000,0000 to £3,000,000) and requires a Legal Statement, the fixed fee is:

£1200 plus VAT at 20% (£1440 inclusive of VAT) plus disbursements (see disbursements section below).

In certain circumstances a Statement of Truth is required, even if there is no inheritance tax payable. In these circumstances we will prepare the IHT400 (together with all supplementary pages) and a Statement of Truth for you for a fixed fee of:

£1950 plus VAT at 20% (£2340 inclusive of VAT) plus disbursements (see disbursements section below).

Once we have completed the paperwork and you have signed it, we will then submit the paperwork to the court and HMRC (if appropriate) to apply for the grant.

This service and fee do not include: –

  • Ascertaining the value of the estate
  • Dealing with subsequent queries from HMRC
  • Collecting in the assets, paying the liabilities, preparing estate accounts and distributing the assets
  • Dealing with the sale or transfer of any property
  • Preparing income/capital gains tax returns to the date of death and the administration of the estate
  • Paying any liabilities of the estate
  • Liaising with any beneficiaries
  • Liaising with any asset providers or creditors

This quote is for estates where there is a Will.

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

  • £300 Probate Application fee plus an additional £1.50 per copy grant required (usually one per asset)

Timescales vary and we will be able to advise once we understand the details of the situation.  Typically it will be between 3 to 4 months to obtain the grant.

We are very happy to discuss your individual situation with you and provide you with an exact price based on your specific circumstances. Our legal fees are normally charged at an hourly rate and this rate depends on the seniority and experience of the lawyer in charge of your matter:

Rachel Collett

Rachel specialises with dealing with the administration of estates.  She has experience in dealing with a variety of estates and she can deal with problems such as missing Wills and missing beneficiaries.  She can also assist with intestacies (where a person dies without having made a Will). Being a farmer’s daughter, she has a particular interest in agricultural estates and can deal with claims for Agricultural Property Relief and Business Relief. She can advise beneficiaries on post death variations to the will and deeds of appointment from trusts contained in the will. Click here to read more about Rachel’s experience.

Helen Strong

Helen is our Lead Solicitor in our Private Client team at BTTJ.  She qualified as a solicitor in 1996 and has specialised in Private Client work since 1998.  She is a member of the Private Client Section of the Law Society.  She has a wealth of experience of dealing with a variety of different estates including extremely complex, taxable and high value matters.  Click here to read more about Helen’s experience.

Saher Iqbal

Saher qualified as a solicitor in 2002 and has gained TEP qualification from the Society of Trust and Estates Practitioners (STEP). She is able to advise on Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Estate Planning.  Saher also deals with the administration of estates. Click here to read more about Saher.

Emma Wallbank

Emma has specialised in Private Client matters since 2002 and was admitted as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Legal Executives in 2009.  She has extensive knowledge of estates from dealing with simple to the more complex and is also a fully qualified member of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP).  Click here to find out more about Emma’s experience.

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Contact a member of our team today

Rachel Collett

Chartered Legal Executive, Private Client

02476 531532

Helen Strong

Lead Solicitor, Private Client

024 76531532

Saher Iqbal

Solicitor, Private Client

01676 533755

Emma Wallbank

Chartered Legal Executive, Private Client

01926 499889

Jill Bowler

Solicitor, Private Client

02476 531532