Will Writing Services
We offer a comprehensive wills and probate service at Barnes and Partners. Our team of qualified, highly experienced solicitors specialise in individual aspects of will writing, probate and administration of estates, will disputes and court of protection matters.
Will Writing: Preparing And Planning
A will is often one of the most important documents you will sign and, although it may seem morbid, is something which must be thoroughly considered and planned when preparing for your future and the future of the rest of your family.
Probate And Estate Disputes
Professional Probate & Estate Solicitors
Probate law deals with all the legal issues concerning the affairs of someone who has passed away. Our dedicated team of professional probate and estate solicitors will help you through what is undoubtedly an already very difficult and emotional time, taking control of the legal process and formalities relating to the administration of an estate.
Estate Administration
If you are mourning the loss of a loved one, our probate services are designed to make this particularly difficult time a little less stressful. Our highly experienced solicitors can help you sort out legal issues and formalities relating to the administration of an estate, ensuring everything is dealt with sensitively and sympathetically.
Grant of Probate
We deal with all the paperwork, sorting through it and contacting all relevant authorities. We obtain the Grant of Probate, submit inheritance tax forms and advise on how it can be minimised, settle any debts, pay out beneficiaries, arrange for the sale of assets and complete final accounts and promise to do all of this sensitively and considerately, tailoring our services to each individual case.
Our specialist solicitors can also offer their expertise and advice if someone is contesting or disputing a Will, attempting to provide a swift and fair resolution.
Please note that discussions concerning Wills and Instructions can be dealt with at all our offices.
Uncontested Probate (UK)
We have a highly experienced team in our Probate division headed up by one of our Senior Partners, Nancy Mortemore who has over 20 years of experience in this field.
It is difficult to give an accurate quote without knowing your particular circumstances but please be assured that at the first consultation we will be able to give you a clear indication of costs tailored to your specific requirements. Please download the full terms below.
Please note that discussions concerning Wills and Instructions can be dealt with at all our offices.
Contesting A Will
Will disputes can be incredibly difficult for any family and, without professional help and assistance, can prove extremely problematic. They are becoming much more common, however.
Our fully-qualified and highly-experienced wills and probate solicitors work closely with both executors and beneficiaries, helping them to understand the will in more detail and obtain clearer information about the estate.
Additionally, if someone is contesting or disputing a will, whether it is because they have been completely excluded or feel unsatisfactorily provided for or are questioning the validity of a will, we can be of assistance and promise to deal with each individual case in a considerate, understanding manner.
Common Questions
There are no strict deadlines within which an estate must be administered. However, there are deadlines for paying inheritance tax and penalties and interest will be imposed if an HMRC deadline is missed. There is also an expectation that the Executors will try to ensure that beneficiaries receive their inheritance within a year of the date of death, and therefore, Executors should do all they can to try and administer an estate within the first year.
This is one of the first questions asked. Some solicitors are still charging a percentage, however, beware of probate centres and will writers who offer additional services as they are often unregulated. It is not always an easy question to answer and will depend on a number of factors.
We first determine the type of service you need. We can offer fixed fees for making an application and more detailed services depending on the complexity of the will, assets, and liabilities of the estate.
In some cases probate may not always be necessary to sell the deceased’s property. It can depend on how it is owned. However, assuming the property is in the deceased’s sole name, you will need probate before completion takes place. You can obtain valuations, put the property on the market, and even agree a sale before probate has been obtained so long as the transaction does not complete.
This depends on the size of the estate, who is inheriting, and how assets are owned. Whether or not the deceased left a will has no bearing on whether probate will actually be needed.
There has been much talk in the press about probate fees increasing. Currently the fee is a nominal court fee, however, legislation is proposed to introduce a “sliding scale” which could see fees increase from £200 to over £6,000.TSo far, ther eis no fixed date as to when these increases will take place.
