PROBATE OR LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION OF A DECEASED ESTATE

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A standard Probate application is $1795 plus GST and disbursements. Standard application for Letters of Administration (no will) are $1995 plus GST and disbursements.  This covers all usual steps to obtain a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration from the Supreme Court and a very detailed letter explaining your duties as executors and all your 'next steps' once a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration is obtained.

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You are welcome to call me to discuss whether your Application is ‘standard’.   For example, a deceased older person with a couple of bank accounts, perhaps some Telstra and Bunnings shares, plus a nursing home bond or a house is normally a ‘standard’ application.  Estate administration can be complex, so I suggest a preliminary telephone discussion with me to work out if there are any issues that might take you outside ‘standard’..

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Administrative work is charged at my ordinary hourly rate of $275 per hour plus GST.. Administrative work is non-legal work such as dealing with banks, share registries and superannuation trustees on your behalf and helping you to fill out necessary forms to finalise the estate.

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Additional legal work outside the standard work required will be billed at $350 plus GST per hour.  Legal work includes managing negotiations between beneficiaries and preparing Deeds of Family Arrangement if the beneficiaries agree to change the distribution of the estate from what was in the will.  This can happen if for example there is real estate and everyone agrees that one beneficiary will buy out the others.  

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My retainer can end after I provide you with a Grant of probate or Letters of Administration as quoted in paragraph 1.  This leaves you to collect the assets and distribute them to beneficiaries in accordance with the Will.  Or, you can ask me to complete administrative work in the estate.

 

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