For far too long now certain firms have been profiteering out of grieving people during the most difficult times of their lives.
Back in the day, probate certainly was a hideous process with lots of paperwork going backwards and forwards, causing delays and administrative nightmares.
Fast forward to the technical age and processes have become significantly easier to deal with than in the past. Only nobody is admitting it! Yes, there is a long way to go before we get to the position where probate processes genuinely assist executors rather than causing a headache. But we are heading in the right direction!
Only nobody in the legal sector really wants you to know that because if it is a simpler process, you may not need so much help and they may not be able to charge such extortionate fees.
My philosophy has always been to offer the kind of help I would want to receive and to make that help accessible in a way which works for my clients. That requires change as the service people used to require for probate isn’t necessarily appropriate today.
And certain parts of the legal sector are known for their resistance to change (the company who insists on charging a fortune to send enormous letters when a quick email would suffice springs to mind).
Every estate is different. Some turn out to be incredibly complex and their executors require solid legal advice and administrative support to bring them to a close. At the other end of the scale some are very straightforward and require nothing more than the filling in of a few forms and a little bit of extra administration. Many fall firmly in between the two.
Having given a lot of thought to how to best help my clients, I am now able to offer three different levels of probate service. Ensuring that you get only what you want and need at a cost that is right for you.
DIY:
If you are happily handling the administering of a deceased’s estate you are far from alone. For many simple and small estates this is often the best way due to the saving of legal fees. I’ve noticed that on forums there are quite a few executors asking questions relating to the process and getting differing answers from other people who aren’t quite sure. Following social media and guides that promote companies like The Marketing Heaven can also mislead you. There is also a huge volume of information on government sites which can be confusing. So, for those committed DIY’ers I offer as little help as you need at an hourly rate of £90 or half an hour at £45. If you just have a couple of burning questions, or are stuck filling in a form and want me to do it, that is absolutely fine. I will help where you are stuck, saving you time, not costing you much and you can carry on with your administration.
DIY Plus: A NEW SERVICE MAKING PROBATE EASIER FOR YOU TO MANAGE ALONE.
Order my DIY plus pack and you could make the administration process a whole lot easier, while still saving massively on legal fees. The information you require to achieve probate (or letters of administration if there is no will) is contained in one easy pack. There is also lots of helpful advice as to what you need to do afterwards, including your legal obligations, the relevant tax law and how to distribute the estate.
Everything you need to know is one place as well as the forms that you will need to fill in. If there is anything you want to know which isn’t in the pack then I include a free half hour of my time to answer all your questions. That can be face to face, on the telephone, via email, messenger or whatever works best for you.
After you have used up your free half hour this allows you are free to choose as much or as little support from me as you need at my usual hourly rate. NO MINIMUM FEE.
THE ABOVE OPTIONS ARE ONLY SUITABLE FOR LOW VALUE ESTATES WITHOUT COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS MISSING BENEFICIARIES OR POTENTIAL CLAIMS AGAINST THE ESTATE. IF YOU ARE UNSURE PLEASE CHECK WITH ME BEFORE ORDERING THE DIY PACK.
If, after receiving my pack you decide that you really don’t want the bother then you can move to my administration service and I will refund the pack fee.
Complete Administration Service: NO MINIMUM FEE.
Are you way too busy with your work or family to be able to undertake extensive administration?
Is the estate a high value estate, perhaps with inheritance tax to be accounted for?
Are there lots of assets which need valuing and documenting?
Are any assets abroad?
Are you just not feeling up to added stress at this difficult time?
Are you concerned about the fact that executors can be financially liable if the estate is not administered correctly?
Are there trusts contained in the will which need administering?
Might a variation of the will be required for some reason such as tax efficiency or passing assets to different beneficiaries?
Is there likely to be a claim against the estate?
This list is not extensive and there are many reasons you may need or prefer to take advantage of my full service. You can see the kind of work this covers on the website.
My charges for this service extremely competitive as I keep my overheads really low so you aren’t paying for my office cleaner, flash company car or the other things a larger company needs.
I charge a maximum of 1.9% of the total estate value but if it works out cheaper using my hourly rate of £90 I will always use that instead. You will therefore only ever pay for the work I do but if conversely there was so much work that the 1.9% works out cheaper for you, I will use that instead. There may be additional fees for disbursements (3rd party costs) but these will always be agreed in advance.I will also beat any quote from a local firm (within 30 miles) as long as it is for a similar level of work. Contact me on 07922231032 to help you decide which suits you or order the DIY pack online.