Wills and probate in Sutton Coldfield

Wills and probate solicitors in Sutton Coldfield

Making a will or dealing with an estate in Sutton Coldfield? Adrian Schuck sees clients by appointment at our office on Lichfield Road in Mere Green.

Our probate fees and timescales Call 0121 716 3716

In short

At our Mere Green office on Lichfield Road, Adrian Schuck, an Associate Director and full member of STEP, prepares wills and lifetime trusts and acts for executors dealing with probate across Sutton Coldfield.

Will writing and lifetime trusts
Probate and estate administration
Full member of STEP (TEP)
Estates with assets abroad

The team

Your wills and probate team in Sutton Coldfield

The people who handle wills and probate at our Sutton Coldfield office.

Meet the wills, trusts and probate team

Associate Director Adrian Schuck

Wills and probate

What the Sutton Coldfield team handles

Drawn from Adrian's own work.

Everything our wills and probate team does

WillsWills of varying complexity, including use of a late spouse's nil rate band.
Lifetime trustsSuccession planning and inheritance tax planning.
Probate and estate administrationActing for executors, from the grant to final distribution.
Estates with assets abroadTaxable estates with foreign beneficiaries or assets.
TrusteesRunning lifetime trusts for trustees.
Business owners and farmersSuccession planning for shareholders and farming families.

Fees

What it will cost

Typical probate fees as a guide, and a price for your will or power of attorney once we know what you need.

For probate, our typical fees start at:

Grant application only, where there is a will and no inheritance tax to pay: from £1,250 plus VAT
Full administration of the estate, where there is a will and no inheritance tax to pay: from £2,000 plus VAT

Estates without a will, or with inheritance tax to pay, cost more. These figures are for uncontested estates with all the assets in the UK, and court fees and other expenses come on top. For a will, a trust or a lasting power of attorney, call 0121 716 3716 and we will give you a price for what you need. Our full price information is on our transparency page.

What our full estate administration service includes

Verifying the validity of the will
Identifying the legally appointed executors or administrators and the beneficiaries
Identifying the type of probate application needed
Valuing the estate for probate and inheritance tax
Preparing the relevant HMRC account
Calculating and arranging payment of any inheritance tax due
Preparing and submitting the application for the grant (a grant of probate, letters of administration or letters of administration with will annexed)
Answering any enquiries HMRC may raise, other than a full compliance check
Answering any enquiries from the Probate Registry
Receiving the grant and registering it with the relevant institutions
Cashing in assets or transferring them to beneficiaries (our property team quotes separately for any sale or transfer of a property in the estate)
Settling the estate's debts and expenses from estate funds
Reviewing the estate's inheritance tax position and paying any further tax or claiming any refund
Obtaining formal inheritance tax clearance from HMRC where required
Making sure the income tax and capital gains tax affairs of the person who died are in order during the administration
Preparing estate accounts and income statements for beneficiaries where required
Carrying out bankruptcy searches on beneficiaries
Paying all legacies
Distributing the rest of the estate to the residuary beneficiaries

Our fees are for uncontested estates where all the assets are in the UK. We always give you a tailored estimate once we have enough information about the estate. We keep you updated if it needs to change.

Our probate fees and timescales

Step by step

How probate works

Making a will is simpler: we take your instructions, send you a draft and arrange the signing.

Tell us about the estate
Send us the key paperwork, such as the will and details of the assets. We then give you a tailored estimate.
Valuing the estate
We find out what the estate owns and owes, value it for probate and inheritance tax and prepare any HMRC account that is needed.
Applying for the grant
Where inheritance tax is due, some of it normally has to be paid first. We then apply for the grant and answer any questions from the Probate Registry.
Collecting in and paying out
Once the grant is issued, we register it, collect in or transfer the assets and pay the estate's debts, expenses and any tax.
Accounts and distribution
We prepare the estate accounts, carry out bankruptcy searches on beneficiaries, pay the legacies and distribute the rest of the estate.

Local knowledge

Wills and estates in and around Sutton Coldfield

Will writing and probate at our Sutton Coldfield office, 316-318 Lichfield Road in Mere Green, are handled by Adrian Schuck TEP, an Associate Director and full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). Adrian works from Mere Green and from our Lichfield office. He sees clients from across Sutton Coldfield and nearby Streetly and Little Aston by appointment.

He prepares wills of varying complexity and sets up lifetime trusts for succession planning or to reduce inheritance tax, for individuals, business owners, shareholders and farmers. When someone dies, Adrian acts for executors in the administration of the estate. He also acts for trustees running lifetime trusts. His work includes taxable estates with foreign beneficiaries and assets abroad as well as wills that use the nil rate band left unused by a late husband, wife or civil partner.

Adrian's aim is to explain each step in plain language, so you can make informed decisions about your affairs.

FAQs

Wills and probate in Sutton Coldfield: your questions

How much do you charge for probate in Sutton Coldfield?

Our typical fees start at £1,250 plus VAT to apply for the grant and £2,000 plus VAT to administer the whole estate, for an estate with a will and no inheritance tax to pay. Estates without a will or with inheritance tax to pay cost more. Once we know about the estate, we give you a tailored estimate.

I am an executor but live a long way from Sutton Coldfield. Can you still help?

Yes. An executor does not have to live near the estate or even in the UK. We can work with you by phone, email and post. If it is easier, you can meet Adrian at Mere Green or in Lichfield. We can apply for the grant for you or deal with the whole administration of the estate.

Can you deal with an estate that has assets or beneficiaries abroad?

Yes. Adrian Schuck's work includes taxable estates with foreign beneficiaries and assets abroad. Our published fee guide is for estates with all their assets in the UK, so where there are assets abroad we give you a tailored estimate once we know what is involved.

Can I use my late husband's or wife's inheritance tax allowance?

Often, yes. Any part of the inheritance tax nil rate band that your late husband, wife or civil partner did not use can usually be transferred to your estate. The same applies to any unused residence nil rate band. The claim is made when your own estate is dealt with, so keep the paperwork from the first death with your will. Adrian's work includes wills that make use of a late spouse's nil rate band.

Can I make my will at the Mere Green office?

Yes. Book an appointment with Adrian at 316-318 Lichfield Road in Mere Green, north of the town centre. When the will is ready, you sign it with two adult witnesses present at the same time. Neither of them should be a beneficiary or a beneficiary's husband, wife or civil partner.

When should I update my will?

GOV.UK suggests reviewing your will every five years and after any big change, such as separating, having a child or moving house. In England and Wales, marriage or a civil partnership usually cancels an existing will, so you will normally need a new one. The rules on pensions are changing too: from 6 April 2027, most unused pension funds and pension death benefits will count towards the value of an estate for inheritance tax. It is a good time to ask Adrian to look at your plans.

Visit us

Our Sutton Coldfield office

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Our office is at 316-318 Lichfield Road in Mere Green, north of the town centre. Call ahead and we will make sure the right person is free to see you.

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