UHY Ross Brooke Estate Planning LLP
The probate timescales explained by our Abingdon specialists
The timescales are likely to vary significantly according to the complexity and scale of the estate and the information being provided to us. In the very simplest ‘grant only’ or ‘tax and grant – simple’ cases where values can be provided up-front and there are no complexities to work through, an application might be able to be made within 4 to 8 weeks of us being instructed, the speed of issue of that grant then being
dependent on HM Courts and Tribunal Service performance.
More commonly it will take some time for valuations to be gathered / details of transferable allowances etc to be established and targeting 4-6 months for the making of an application will be more realistic, especially given the mandatory 20 working day hiatus between sending an inheritance tax return (where tax is payable) and making the application.
If there are difficulties getting access to relevant information, especially if there are overseas / trust / complex aspects, this timeframe will be longer and could be 6 -12 months.
In cases where work like company valuations or assessments of the availability of inheritance tax reliefs are necessary in order to establish the position of the estate, the timeframe will be similarly extended.
Where estate administration services are being provided, it is likely to add a minimum of 6 months beyond the date of securing the grant of probate so as to satisfy the statutory period for claims against the estate. Between 6 and 12 months is a realistic timeframe for administering most estates, although complex cases or those where unexpected issues arise could take notably longer.
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Find out more about probate and estate administration
For more details about our range of probate services, please get in touch through the form or download our Probate services brochure.
Meet our probate specialists in Abingdon
We are highly experienced and licensed probate practitioners, licensed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), a licensing body for probate.
As full members of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) our services include probate activities, will writing, estate planning, applications for grants of probate, the administration of estates and the administration of trusts. We can advise on and minimise tax liability on Inheritance Tax and taxes related to trusts and estates.
We have the experience to ensure that the management of the estate will be handled professionally and sensitively. To find out how we can help you, please fill in the form below to contact one of our probate advisors in Abingdon.
Our probate specialists are based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, and we have 4 offices across Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire, and look after probate, estate, trust and tax clients from all across the UK.
