The term ‘probate’ refers to the legal process of reviewing a will. This process is aimed at determining the authenticity and validity of a will. You can think of it as the general administration factor of a deceased person’s estate. There is no ‘normal’ timeframe for the probate process, but we’ll try to give you an idea of how long you can expect it to take in this article.

What Is The Process?

In most cases, the court will appoint individual[s] to be the executor[s] of a will. The executor[s] may be named in the will. The job of the executor[s] is to garner the assets, pay any liabilities that remain on the individual’s estate, and distribute the remaining assets to the beneficiaries. After the documents are prepared, the grant of probate typically takes between 6-8 weeks to arrive, and the remaining parts of the process usually take up to six months to reach completion. Be advised, however, that it is not unusual for the process to go beyond 12 months.

HMRC can often take up to 6-8 months to process taxes for inheritance and capital gains. You can make the process as quick as possible by paying the inheritance tax.

How Much Does It Cost?

The costs associated with probate are split into two parts. First is the fixed fee that is payable to the government, and second is the fee that you pay to the solicitor of probate specialist to deal with the matters. The probate application fee currently stands at £215 for any estate valued at £5,000+. The fee for using a solicitor or probate specialist will vary depending on the value and the complexity of the estate.

Make It Easy For Yourself

The best way to make the process as quick as possible is to work with a quality solicitor or probate specialist, and action any requirements promptly. Bowsers Solicitors are experts in handling will and probate, and are available to help in the Wisbech and March areas. If you require this service, please don’t hesitate to contact us and our friendly team will answer any questions you may have. We are always sensitive to the circumstances of bereavement, and we aim to make the will and probate process as swift and stress-free as possible.