ICAEW’s Legal Services Regulations requires firms to provide transparent pricing information. 

This means that you can find the information you need and shop around to compare costs and services before you engage a probate practitioner. 

ICAEW firms accredited for probate, must publish details of the total fees it charges for its services, or an estimate of the likely fee, including VAT and disbursements (if applicable) on their website. As a matter of good practice, we also expect firms to provide this information in their initial engagement letter setting out their services and terms of business. 

Firms must explain how their fees are calculated, for example whether this is a fixed fee or an hourly fee and what services are included. This may also include information about any factors that could affect the time and cost as the matter progresses.  

Many ICAEW probate firms provide instant fee calculators on their website to help you to generate a tailored estimate or fixed fee for their services. If the agreed initial cost estimate increases for any reason, the probate practitioner should inform you about this as soon as possible and provide a clear explanation.

When you are comparing fees, you should look carefully at the scope of services that the offer includes. Some packages are designed to help you with obtaining the grant of probate only, meaning that valuing the estate and distributing the assets will be left to you.  

However other packages offer to complete the full estate administration process for you. This means they will undertake the whole process from start to finish. 

Even if you have been offered a fixed fee arrangement, or the package you have opted for offers the full estate administration service, there may be aspects of the process that the firm charges extra for, these are sometimes called disbursements. 

Fees and costs estimates can vary depending on the complexity and value of the deceased’s estate. Make sure you understand what is included in the price, whether it includes VAT or not, and any additional costs such as disbursements when comparing different firms to avoid any surprises. You should expect your accountant to be very direct and transparent about this and confirm it with you before the engagement starts. 

To help your probate practitioner give you as accurate a cost estimation as possible and to help the probate process move smoothly, provide them with as much information about the deceased as you can. This might even include details of funeral costs if it has already taken place. Consider bringing the following original documents to the first meeting with your probate practitioner:

Personal information

• Death certificate
• Divorce certificate (if applicable)
• Original will
• National insurance number

Estate assets and liabilities

• Bank and building society accounts
• Savings accounts
• Personal belongings
• Stocks and shares
• Property valuations
• Tax records
• Pension details
• Loans
• Debts
• Mortgages

Details of the executors

• Valid ID
• Proof of address. 

When choosing your probate practitioner, you are likely to come across a few different pricing models. Pricing models are the way in which a firm has decided they are going to charge for their work. The most common pricing models you will see are: 

% value of estate 

This model was historically used by banks and although no longer as widespread, is still used by some banks and solicitors. Simply, they charge you based on a percentage of the estate’s total value. The rate charged is usually between 1-5%. This could be an expensive option if, for example, you have a simple but large estate. 

Fixed fee 

This means that a certain scope of services will be included for a set price. You should double check if your fixed fee arrangement includes VAT in the final price and if there are any disbursements that will be charged at an extra cost. Opting for a fixed fee package can be a good choice if you want a higher degree of certainty on the final cost. 

Hourly rate 

This pricing model charges you based on exactly how much time is spent. The rate you are charged will depend on who is undertaking the work, for example an experienced manager of a firm will have a higher rate. This means you will only ever pay for the work that has been done. Therefore, this can be a good option if you have an uncomplicated case. 

How might the payment process work? 

The normal process is that the fee is payable at the conclusion of the matter within a reasonable period. The practitioner may specify for example within 14 days of the date of the invoice.  

However, if the work takes place over an extended period, the practitioner might ask for payment on account. Some practitioners may also ask for a payment on account in advance to fund initial disbursements. The practitioner’s payment policy should be set out in your engagement letter. 

When an interim bill is raised, it should explain how the matter has progressed, how much you have paid to date and the amount outstanding, including any additional costs incurred with your consent. VAT at 20% is applied on each invoice if the practitioner is VAT registered. 

• Find out more 

Other payment options 

If you need to be budget conscious, one way to reduce your costs for probate services is to agree to carry out some of the administrative tasks yourself with your practitioner. This is known as ‘unbundling’ and is sometimes advertised by firms as a flexible fee or a flexible pricing option.  

It enables you to keep costs low by only paying for certain aspects of the firm’s service while retaining the practitioner’s expert advice and legal support where needed. Speak to your probate practitioner about how this could work in your case.  

As Chartered Accountants, ICAEW probate practitioners have the expertise to offer a range of accountancy and tax services with probate services. They may offer you a fixed fee package to make this as cost effective as possible for you.  

It is your choice, whether to use a lawyer or solicitor, a Chartered Accountant or conduct the probate process yourself. If you decide to use an ICAEW probate practitioner, they can provide the same services as a lawyer if the estate is not subject to any dispute. This is known as non-contentious probate.  

If there is a dispute, then a specialist probate lawyer needs to continue the process. Once the dispute is settled then the probate application can revert to your accountant.  

ICAEW chartered accountants can also provide unreserved legal services such as estate administration, tax advice and will writing. They often perform executorship and trustee duties when administering estates. The services a firm offers will be displayed on their website, helping you to shop around.  

If you would like to find a different probate provider the Legal Choices website is managed by legal services regulators and is designed to help you make choices about lawyers and legal services. The website includes registers for different legal professional held by other legal services regulators. 

Initial meeting

You will usually have an initial discussion with your probate practitioner. This is an opportunity to understand the scope of their services, the key stages in administering the estate, estimated costs and for you to ask some questions.

Some key questions to ask your probate practitioner during this meeting could include:

• What is your experience in managing probate or administering estates?
• Who will be managing my probate matter?
• How long do you expect the probate process to take?
• When can I expect an update on progress and information about costs?

The firm will also ask you some questions about the deceased and to gather some information and original documents, such as the will and death certificate.

Engagement letter

When you agree to engage the probate practitioner, they must send you an engagement letter confirming their terms and outlining the costs and the services they will provide.

This should include the following information:

• a description of the services included
• an indication of timescales and the key stages of the work
• how the fees will be calculated, for example a fixed fee or hourly rate
• their complaint process and information about your right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman.

The key stages will usually include obtaining a grant of probate, gathering and valuing assets, paying debts and taxes, and distributing the estate.

The letter might also include information about how often the firm will update you, the agreed cost and when you will be invoiced. The firm may also detail any documents or further information that you need to provide.

During the engagement

Depending on the agreed frequency in your engagement letter, you should expect to be updated on progress, any delays, issues or unexpected costs that arise. You may also receive costs information or an invoice.

At the end of the engagement

You can expect a detailed account of all financial transactions conducted during the probate process, for example, the transactions made into an executors account and a final bill.

You may also receive information about the firm’s complaint process and have an opportunity provide feedback on the service you received.

What is the probate process?

Probate is the legal process of validating a will and confirming the authority of the person responsible for administering the estate of someone who has died. It is a reserved legal activity, which means that you must be a regulated professional to carry out this service for a client.

If you are appointed as an executor or an administrator of someone's estate, you might need to apply to the Probate Registry for a legal document granting authority to distribute any assets such as money and possessions to beneficiaries. This will depend on the value of the estate.

There are 5 Key Stages in the Probate process:

1. Initial Steps: Verifying the will, identifying beneficiaries, and notifying relevant parties.
2. Valuing the Estate: Gathering and valuing all assets and liabilities of the deceased.
3. Applying for Probate: Preparing and submitting the probate application to the Probate Registry managed by HMCTS
4. Administering the Estate: Collecting assets, paying debts and taxes
5. Distributing the Estate: Distributing the remaining assets to beneficiaries according to the will or intestacy laws

Can I carry out the probate process myself?

Yes, it is possible to carry out the process yourself and may be worth considering if the estate is of low value. Read our guide for executors to help you understand the process and how to do this.

ICAEW Chartered Accountants and firms provide a wide range of professional advice and services in accountancy, probate, audit, insolvency, investment business, tax, and various other legal and technical fields for individuals, businesses, and other organisations. This can be helpful when estates are complex or valuable.  

However, many people decide to use a professional to deal with the accounting and tax side of probate in straightforward estates. ICAEW probate practitioners can also help with the practical aspects of identifying, selling and distributing assets and identifying and settling liabilities. As the probate process can often take between 6 and 12 months to finalise, it can also mean a more effective use of your time. 

Some consumers use an accountant because they are existing clients of the firm, or the deceased was a former client, and they have good knowledge of their financial affairs.  

If you have not worked with an ICAEW practitioner before, the combination of accounting, tax, law and administration skills required in probate and estate administration means they are well placed to carry out this kind of work. 

• Case study: Clare Francis
• Case study: Sam Crossby