Your Trusted Probate Solicitors In Sudbury & Clare

At Wayman & Long, we understand that estate planning is not just about what happens after you're gone; it's about living a life that ensures your loved ones are cared for, even if you can't be there yourself. Our team of probate solicitors in Sudbury is here to guide you through the process with a family-oriented, supportive, and clear approach, making sure your wishes are respected and your assets protected.

Your solicitor will guide you through the process with compassion

Our team are experts in the intricacies of probate law

No hidden fees – we are transparent with costs

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More information

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Why Start Early?

There are several reasons as to why starting early is the best option; with the primary one being that if left too late, individuals can sometimes unfortunately find themselves too unwell to look after their affairs without leaving anyone appointed in their place. Also, the probate process can become complicated and expensive if not given the appropriate time initially to be done correctly. That's why we believe it's never too early to start creating your estate plan. By taking the necessary steps now, you can guarantee that your assets are passed on to the next generation just the way you envision.

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Our Services

Power Of Attorney

Life is unpredictable, and sometimes circumstances prevent us from managing our financial affairs or health and care issues. This is where the Lasting Powers of Attorney (“LPA”) becomes invaluable.

Our experienced solicitors can help you navigate the complexities of setting up a Lasting Powers of Attorney, ensuring that your affairs are managed according to your wishes by people you know and trust and helping you to avoid common, and costly mistakes, that can be made when setting up these important legal documents.

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Crafting Your Will With Care

Our dedicated wills team is here to guide you through the process of creating the right type of will and trust for your loved and charitable causes. We understand that this is a stressful time, and our aim is to provide you with one less thing to worry about. We can also assist you in reviewing your financial affairs, taking steps to minimise the impact of inheritance tax on your estate.

Efficiency In The Process

Make sure you have a will

This needs to clearly identify the executor and beneficiaries, and specify how you want your assets distributed. Without a will, your assets will be subject to the current probate rules, potentially impacting the inheritance entitlement of your partner if you're living together but not married.

Update your will

As life evolves, so should your will. It’s easy to overlook but it’s essential that it reflects your current circumstances.

Instruction for digital assets

In the digital age, don't underestimate the significance of including instructions about your digital assets and accounts in your will. Creating an ‘after I’m gone' file with account details and passwords can be a valuable addition to your estate plan.

Business succession details

Being clear in who will run the business after you can help greatly to ensure a smooth transition.

Creating a trust

Trusts are a highly effective way of reducing the amount of inheritance tax that is payable on death, but creating a trust is not something that should be rushed.

Charitable giving

Charitable giving is a great way of reducing inheritance tax

Estate tax planning

This is necessary if you’re planning on leaving assets to loved ones. You will need an estate planning solicitor, but it would be worth considering contacting a wealth management expert. These specialists will have access to information relating to trusts and life insurance policies as well as tax advice. We work with a number of local and national wealth management experts to ensure you receive the best possible advice.

Transparent Pricing

Wills

Where possible we aim to provide fixed fee costs for drafting wills.

Our stand-alone price for a simple single will is £375 plus VAT.
Simple mirror wills (where everything is left to a surviving spouse or civil partner, if not other beneficiaries) are £675 plus VAT for both spouses’ wills combined.

Unlike other firms, we also do not charge for safe and secure storage of your will after it has been signed.

Lasting Powers of Attorney

Where possible we also aim to provide fixed fee costs for drafting and registering Lasting Powers of Attorney.

The stand-alone fee for one Lasting Power of Attorney is £650 plus VAT, as well as the registration fee of £92.
If you require more than one type of Lasting Power of Attorney, or would like to combine it with a new will, we offer flexible packages offering significant savings on the above figures.

Estate Administration (also known as “Probate”)

We recognise that pricing for probate matters can vary, and transparency is crucial. Initial probate consultations are free of charge and at our meeting we can discuss all legal requirements and will follow up with a clear and concise quote tailored to the requirements of the particular case. To have an idea of costs please refer to the information below.

For an uncontested probate with wholly UK based assets (dealing with the affairs of the deceased and applying for a Grant of Probate as necessary and thereafter collecting in assets, paying off liabilities and distributing the estate) our fees are charged on an hourly rate basis of £350 per hour plus VAT. Overall, these fees average between 2-3% of the gross value of the estate plus VAT and disbursements where we act on behalf of executors.
Where the firm is appointed as executors, given the additional responsibilities involved, our fees average between 3-5% of the gross value of the estate plus VAT and disbursements.

Grant Of Probate Only

In addition, we are able to offer a fixed-fee for obtaining the grant of probate only, leaving the named executors to carry out all of the other estate administration tasks.

Our fees for this are typically £2,000 plus VAT and disbursements

Disbursements (services from external third-party suppliers. We do not add any extra costs to their fees):

Probate application is dependant on the value of the estate.
Each additional copy of a sealed Grant of Probate £1.50p

Timescales

The timescales for probate vary and it’s difficult to estimate without discussing the details beforehand. Generally, the end-to-end process can take from as little as 12 months to more than 2 years, depending upon the assets involved (for example selling a property may take time), as well as the complexity of the estate in general.

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Fill out the form to submit your details for a consultation. A member of our team will contact you as soon as possible to schedule a time and date convenient to you.