Probate Solicitors in Bognor Regis

When someone close to you dies, you may be left with the responsibility of dealing with their estate and final affairs. This can be a huge undertaking, which is where our probate solicitors in Bognor Regis can step in to provide practical and empathetic support.

The process of probate and estate administration usually involves several procedures. Depending on the circumstances, it could include verifying the validity of a Will, settling debts that are due on the estate and dividing the estate between named beneficiaries.

An estate’s assets cannot be distributed until the Probate Registry provides authority. Where there is a will, this is done through a Grant of Probate. Where there is no Will, this is done through a Grant of Letters of Administration.

If you have been named as an executor of a Will, or you are acting as an administrator after someone has died intestate, our probate solicitors in Bognor Regis will be able to support you through the entire process, offering carefully tailored probate advice along the way.

Our expertise includes helping you to make various arrangements for the administration of someone else’s estate, such as preparing an application for a Grant of Probate/Letters of Administration, determining the size of an estate for Probate and Inheritance Tax purposes and helping you to lodge the necessary forms to deal with money due on the estate.

Our solicitors dealing with probate in Bognor Regis will work alongside our residential property team to arrange the transfer or sale of any shares, as well as handle the sale of any property or land owned by the deceased.

Speak to our probate solicitors in Bognor Regis

To discuss your requirements and learn more about how we can help, please get in touch to speak to one of our probate solicitors in Bognor Regis.

Our probate solicitors’ fees

We always want to make sure that our pricing for probate is transparent and competitive for all of our clients. From the outset, we will provide you with a realistic estimate of the work, including third-party costs such as Probate Registry fees.

We offer fixed fees for straightforward probate work. Where fixed fees apply, the costs are in advance and will only increase if you have any additional requirements.

For more complicated cases, we will agree on an hourly rate based on the level of probate advice and expertise required.

If you would like to fees with our solicitors dealing with probate in Bognor Regis any further, please get in touch.

Our probate services in Bognor Regis

Our solicitors for probate in Bognor Regis have a broad range of expertise, including but not limited to:

Applying for Grant of Probate/Grant of Letters of Administration
Estimating an estate’s value
Dealing with Inheritance Tax
Handling the estate administration process
Settling debts
Sale of property
Distributing assets
Probate disputes

We also have specialist expertise in additional lifetime planning matters, including Wills and Probate and Power of Attorney.

Probate and estate administration in Bognor Regis explained

What is probate?

‘Probate’ is the term used to describe the various procedures involved in dealing with someone’s estate after they have died. The legal document which provides an executor with authority to carry out these procedures is called the Grant of Probate. The Grant of Probate can only be obtained via an application to the Probate Registry.

When a Grant of Probate is granted, any executors who are named in a Will are then able to administer the estate according to its terms. Exactly what this will include will vary from Will to Will, but often an executor will need to distribute assets to beneficiaries of the Will, sell property, pay off Inheritance Tax and prepare the estate’s accounts.

When is probate required?

Probate is essential more often than not. There may be certain exceptions, including where an estate is considered to be ‘small’, or if most assets are jointly owned by a spouse who has been left everything.

A ‘small’ estate is usually considered to be under £10,000, though there is no precise definition confirming this.

You should also be aware that each bank has its own limit above which they will ask for a Grant of Probate before closing an account. This can vary from £5,000 anywhere up to £50,000.

Where a property is included in an estate, a Grant of Probate is typically required. This is unless it was held jointly with someone else as joint tenants, in which case the surviving owner automatically owns the property on the death of the other.

How long does probate take?

The Probate Registry will usually take between one and three months to issue the Grant of Probate. Beyond this, administering an estate could take up to a year or even more. The more complex an estate is, the longer it is likely to take to administer.

Our solicitors dealing with probate in Bognor Regis can advise you on how long probate may take in your case, keeping you informed at each stage of the process so you know exactly where you stand.

Do you need a solicitor for probate?

It is possible to deal with some aspects of probate without a probate solicitor, but it is certainly not a simple undertaking. The job can be extremely complicated and time-consuming, especially where you have to deal with an estate that involves a large number of high-value assets.

Issues such as Inheritance Tax and maintaining accurate estate accounts can also be incredibly challenging. This is why the advice of specialist solicitors for probate in Bognor Regis is so vital.

At SMR Solicitors, our probate solicitors in Bognor Regis can assist as required with all of the various aspects of estate administration, ensuring you have all the support you need to carry out your duties effectively.

If someone dies without a Will, who deals with their estate?

When someone dies without a Will, they die intestate. This means that their estate is distributed according to the Rules of Intestacy, even if they may have had certain wishes that were not officially recorded.

Typically, one of the people who is entitled to inherit under the Rules of intestacy will deal with the estate. They can do this by applying for a Grant of Letters of Administration, which appoints them as the estate administrator (rather than executor).

Estate administrators have broadly the same responsibilities as executors.