Probate & Estate Administration
When someone dies, their executors have to gather in everything they owned, pay what they owed and pass the rest to the right people. It is a lot to take on while you are grieving. We can take that work off your hands, for a fixed fee agreed in writing before we start.
Before the grant
The first months are about finding out what the estate holds and what it owes. We:
- meet you at home across Yorkshire, or by video anywhere in England and Wales, and explain what is involved;
- locate the will and any stored documents;
- contact banks, building societies, pension providers, insurers and share registrars to establish what the estate holds;
- arrange valuations of the home and any other property;
- identify debts, bills and other liabilities;
- gather the figures needed for inheritance tax.
The grant of probate
Applying for the grant of probate, or letters of administration where there is no will, is a reserved legal activity under the Legal Services Act 2007. Irwin Wills is not authorised to carry it out, so the application is prepared and submitted by a regulated partner firm.
You will know who they are, and what they charge, before anything starts. We pass them everything they need, so you are not repeating yourself.
After the grant
Once the grant is issued, we finish the job:
- collect in and close accounts, and cash in or transfer investments;
- coordinate the sale or transfer of property;
- place statutory notices for unknown creditors;
- pay debts, funeral costs and taxes;
- prepare clear estate accounts for the executors to approve;
- pay legacies and distribute the remaining estate to the beneficiaries.
Your money stays in your control
We never hold estate money. Funds are paid into an estate account in the executors’ names, and nothing is paid out without the executors’ approval. You stay in charge; we do the legwork.
Fixed fee, agreed up front
Every estate is different, so we quote after a free consultation and confirm the fee in writing before any work begins. No hourly billing and no percentage of the estate.
The court’s probate application fee and any third-party costs, such as valuations and statutory notices, are passed on at cost. The regulated partner firm’s fee for the grant application is quoted separately, before you commit.
Thinking ahead?
If you are making your will, you can name Irwin Wills as a professional executor, from £895. It means your family has someone to handle all of this when the time comes.
Probate questions
Do I need a solicitor to deal with probate?
No. Executors can administer an estate themselves, or use a non-solicitor provider for the administration work. Only the grant application itself is a reserved legal activity, which is why ours is prepared and submitted by a regulated partner firm.
Is probate always needed?
Not always. If the estate is small, or everything was jointly owned and passes automatically to the survivor, a grant may not be needed. Banks and other institutions each set their own limits, so we check this with you at the start.
What if there is no will?
The same service applies. The grant is called letters of administration, and the estate passes under the intestacy rules. Our guide on dying without a will explains who inherits. What happens if you die without a will.
How long does it take?
Most straightforward estates take between nine and twelve months from start to finish. Selling a property, inheritance tax or a disagreement between beneficiaries can make it longer. We keep you updated throughout.
I live outside Yorkshire. Can you still help?
Yes. We visit homes across Yorkshire and work by video with executors anywhere in England and Wales.
I am Deaf. Can you work with me in BSL?
Yes. Our in-house BSL interpreter can join every meeting, at no extra cost. Being a Deaf executor.
Irwin Wills and Estate Planning is not a firm of solicitors. Applying for a grant of probate is a reserved legal activity and is carried out by our regulated partner firm.
Ready to protect your family's future?
Book your free, no-obligation consultation today. Online anywhere in England & Wales, or in person across Yorkshire. Call us on 03330 904 951 or book online in minutes.