Dealing with the estate of a loved one can be stressful and complicated at what is already a difficult time. Our probate lawyers here in Bury St Edmunds offer a professional service that aims to make the process as smooth and straightforward as possible, even in more complex estates or where the deceased did not leave a Will.
We have decades of experience in dealing with all aspects of probate and estate administration, and you will find our team sympathetic and understanding as well as efficient.
We offer as much help as you need, which could be a single task such as obtaining the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration or dealing with the full estate administration.
Our probate lawyers are recognised in the region as being outstanding. Our team is ranked highly by leading directory, the Legal 500 for their expertise in Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate along with Contentious Trusts and Probate.
All of our probate lawyers receive the highest level of training and as a team, we have in-depth expertise across the full range of probate issues as well as memberships of leading bodies including the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), the Association of Lifetime Lawyers and the Association of Tax Technicians.
Our Bury St Edmunds probate lawyers can help you with:
- Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration
- Full estate administration
- Bespoke probate and estate administration support as needed
- Intestacy (where no Will has been left)
- Inheritance disputes (contentious probate)
- Deeds of Variation.
We can also refer you to experts in other teams at Ashtons Legal for assistance with related issues that often arise in probate, such as dealing with a family home and updating Wills.
Book a consultation with our probate lawyers in Bury St Edmunds
We offer a fixed fee consultation with one of our experienced probate solicitors to discuss your situation and how we can help. This can be in person or via video link.
To find out more, please contact our Bury St Edmunds office or use our online enquiry form to request a call back.
How we can help with probate in Bury St Edmunds
Grant of Probate
One of the first jobs to deal with when winding up an estate is usually applying for a Grant of Probate or, where there is no Will, a Grant of Letters of Administration. This provides the legal authority that the estate’s personal representatives will need to enable them to collect in the estate assets and administer the estate.
Our probate lawyers in Bury St Edmunds can apply for the Grant on your behalf, putting together the correct paperwork to ensure that the application proceeds smoothly and that the document is received as quickly possible.
The services we can provide include the following:
- Advising whether probate is necessary (in a small estate it might not be needed)
- Calculating the value of the estate
- Reporting this to HM Revenue & Customs and paying any Inheritance Tax which is due
- Applying for the Grant of Probate or the Grant of Letters of Administration
- Advising in respect of any trusts set up by the Will
- Advising on specific issues that may need to be considered in the administration.
Full estate administration service
Our clients often elect to have us handle the entire estate administration for them. This means that our team will deal with everything so you do not have to take on any of the work yourself.
Our Bury St Edmunds probate lawyers will ensure the administration goes as smoothly and efficiently as possible, with the aim of removing any worry or stress for you.
The full estate administration service can include the following:
- Obtaining the Grant of Probate or Grant of Letters of Administration
- Dealing with the sale of any property
- Identifying and collecting in the estate assets
- Identifying and paying the estate’s debts and liabilities
- Dealing with HM Revenue & Customs and calculating and paying Inheritance Tax
- Advising in respect of any trusts set up in the Will
- Preparing detailed estate accounts
- Distributing bequests to the beneficiaries named in the Will or entitled to inherit under the Rules of Intestacy
- Providing advice to estate executors or administrators as required.
Bespoke probate and estate administration support
Our clients are sometimes happy to take on much of the estate administration themselves but want help with particular parts of the process, such as obtaining the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration, dealing with HM Revenue & Customs and calculating the amount of Inheritance Tax payable.
Our Bury St Edmunds probate service is flexible and we offer as much or as little support as you require. As well as offering a full service as above, we can also take on individual matters and provide bespoke support and assistance as needed.
Intestacy
If someone dies intestate, i.e. without leaving a Will, the estate administration can be more complicated, so expert legal advice can be particularly valuable. The deceased’s assets will pass in accordance with the Rules of Intestacy which are set out in law.
Our legal team in Bury St Edmunds can take on the entire process of administering an intestate estate or alternatively help with specific areas where you need assistance, such as obtaining the Grant of Letters of Administration or dealing with Inheritance Tax.
Our intestacy expertise includes the following:
- Applying for the Grant of Letters of Administration
- Advising on Inheritance Tax and HM Revenue & Customs reporting requirements
- Providing advice to the estate’s administrators
- Advice relating to statutory trusts that may arise under the intestacy
- Full estate administration service for intestate estates.
Inheritance disputes (contentious probate)
Where a dispute arises over someone’s estate after their death, it can cause extensive difficulties if it is not addressed quickly and efficiently. Someone may have been expecting to receive more from the estate or they might be unhappy at the way the executor or administrator is handling the winding-up process.
Our contentious probate solicitors in Bury St Edmunds take a pragmatic approach to resolving inheritance disputes and will always work to find an amicable solution without delay.
By stepping in early, it is often possible to resolve issues before the situation escalates and positions become entrenched. Our team are expert negotiators and are usually able to agree a resolution without the need for court proceedings, which would generally be lengthy and could drain the estate of funds.
Our contentious probate lawyers can help with the following:
- Grant of Probate disputes or Letters of Administration disputes
- Will disputes
- Claims under the Inheritance Act
- Executor disputes or administrator disputes
- Trust disputes.
Why choose our probate solicitors in Bury St Edmunds?
Our Bury St Edmunds probate service offers:
- A team with combined decades of specialist probate and estate administration experience
- A friendly, caring and supportive service
- A flexible approach offering everything from a full service to help with a single issue
- Fast response times, with your calls and emails responded to without delay
Our probate and estate administration expertise has been independently recognised, including by the following organisations:
- Highly rated for Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate by The Legal 500
- Highly rated for Contentious Trusts and Probate by The Legal 500
- Our Bury St Edmunds and wider team includes members of:
- The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)
- Association of Lifetime Lawyers
- Association of Tax Technicians.
Our probate and estate administration law fees
Legal fees for estate administration are generally paid out of the estate funds. Our costs will be on a fixed fee basis for straightforward matters, such as applying for the Grant of Probate or Grant of Letters of Administration. For complex cases, we will discuss the potential costs with you so that you understand exactly what is involved.
More information about our probate pricing can be found here.
Book a consultation with our probate lawyers in Bury St Edmunds
To find out more, please contact our Bury St Edmunds office or use our online enquiry form to request a call back.