Probate Solicitors

If you are the executor of a Will or need to administer an estate where there is no Will, getting expert legal advice from one of our Probate Solicitors can make things much simpler while giving you confidence that you are meeting your obligations.

At Stephen Rimmer, our dedicated team of probate and estate administration experts provide practical advice in plain English for executors and estate administrators in Eastbourne and across East Sussex. We can also act as professional executors or administrators where required, handling the entire process for you.

How we can help you with probate & estate administration

Our probate lawyers can provide clear, practical guidance for every stage of administering an estate, including:

• Applying for grant of probate/letters of administration
• Supporting executors & estate administrators during probate
• Acting as professional executors/estate administrations
• Dealing with estates where there is no Will (intestacy)
• Resolving probate disputes

Why choose Stephen Rimmer for probate and estate administration?

Our Private Client team is headed by Andrew Morgan a highly experienced solicitor and partner in the firm. Andrew has exceptional expertise in a wide range of matters related to Wills, estates, lifetime planning and probate, including for high value estates, foreign assets, business assets and large families.

Andrew is supported by a very able team who are members of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). STEP is the leading global association for solicitors specialising in inheritance, trusts and estates, with membership requiring rigorous training and examination.

As a firm, we have very high customer satisfaction rates, with a large percentage of our new business coming via recommendations from current and former clients.

Book a free 30-minute consultation with our probate solicitors in Eastbourne and Hastings

We offer a free, no obligation 30-minute chat with one of our specialist probate lawyers to all new clients.

To arrange your initial consultation, you can:

• Call: 01323 434414
• Email: enquiries@stephenrimmer.com
• Or pay us a visit at 28 – 30 Hyde Gardens Eastbourne East Sussex BN21 4PX

Our probate services

Support for executors

Our probate solicitors provide tailored support for executors based on the individual needs of each client. We can assist with a single matter, such as applying for grant of probate, or guide you through the entire probate process.

Our expertise includes:

• Applying for grant of probate
• Gathering the assets of the estate
• Valuing the estate
• Handling payment of Inheritance Tax (IHT)
• Distribution of the bequests for beneficiaries
• Completing estate accounts

Acting as professional executors

We are able to act as professional executors, handling the entire probate process for you. This can give you confidence that every stage of probate has been completed correctly, reducing the potential for any unnecessary delays or conflict over how probate is carried out.

Administering estates where there is no Will

Where the deceased did not leave a Will, this is referred to as ‘dying intestate’. The estate will then be divided according to the standard rules of intestacy set out by the government.

Rather than applying for grant of probate, you will instead need to apply for letters of administration. This will empower you to act as the estate administrator, dealing with the same issues an executor would handle where there was a Will.

Our team can assist with securing letters of administration and provide advice for estate administrators, as well as acting as professional estate administrators where required.

To see who inherits where there is no Will, you can use the government’s intestacy tool.

Contested probate

Disputes over estates are common, but can often be resolved quickly and cost-effectively with the right legal advice and a sensible, pragmatic approach.

Our contentious probate solicitors are highly experienced in resolving disputes over Wills and inheritance claims, as well as disputes over the conduct of executors and estate administrators.

We have strong skills in constructive negotiation and alternative dispute resolution, so can give you the best chance of finding an amicable solution where appropriate. This can save you time and money, as well as helping to avoid damage to family relationships. However, where court proceedings are required, we can ensure you have robust representation to protect your interests.

Find out more about our dispute resolution services.

Our probate pricing

The cost of dealing with probate and estate administration is usually met from the estate, so keeping those costs to a minimum helps to preserve the value of the estate that is passed to the beneficiaries. With this in mind, we aim to keep our pricing competitive, while maintaining the highest legal and professional standards.

Some aspects of probate and estate administration can be dealt with on a fixed fee basis, e.g. applying for the grant of probate or letters of administration. This gives you certainty over the costs involved.

A common option is to charge based on a percentage of the estate’s value. While this is sometimes attractive, it is not always appropriate, so we will be happy to advise you on what we feel is the fairest way to charge for your situation.

For a realistic estimate of the cost of probate, please use our probate fee calculator.

Speak to our probate solicitors in Eastbourne and Hastings

From our offices in Eastbourne, our estate administration and probate solicitors work with clients all across East Sussex, including in Hastings, Bexhill-on-Sea, Hailsham, Polegate, Battle, Pevensey and St Leonards-on-Sea.

To arrange a free, no obligation 30-minute interview with our team, you can:

• Call: 01323 434414
• Email: enquiries@stephenrimmer.com
• Or pay us a visit at 28 – 30 Hyde Gardens Eastbourne East Sussex BN21 4PX