Is it Worth Paying Probate Consultants Over Solicitors for Probate Proceedings?

Are you going to proceed with your probate application with professional service? And thinking, how much will it cost me overall? Then, probate consultants are the best alternative when compared with the lawyer costs.

A lawyer may have professional expertise, but they demand so much higher for even simple paperwork. That is why we bring to you one cost-effective solution should you be thinking of applying for a probate grant. Probate consultants are equally well-versed with legal frameworks and have expert knowledge, and the bonus point is that they charge far less than standard costs.

In this blog, let’s discuss whether it is worth paying probate consultants. We will see through the solicitor’s costs for probate in Victoria. In the end, we’ll also compare the probate fees between two states: Victoria and South Australia.

Probate Consultant Costs vs. Solicitors Costs.

Let’s first get into the factors that make up the total costs for applying for a probate grant.

1. Initial Consultation Costs

It is the cost of the initial meeting, where a consultant or a lawyer will ask you specific questions about the will. Generally, initial consultation is free for the client. However, some credible solicitors may add their fees for booking a call with them.

2. Documents Preparation

Consultants include document preparation services in their fixed professional fees. However, a probate lawyer can take document preparation as a separate cost. This means that they charge for legal advice, handling disputes, and may involve any third party for furnishing essential documents.

3. Advertisement Fees

Advertisement fees cover the costs of publishing the notice of intention to apply for probate in local newspapers. It is a fixed cost whether you apply on your own or include a solicitor or consultant in the matter. However, it is important to note that advertisement fees for different states in Australia can vary.

However, whether you choose a consultant or a solicitor, it will cost the same as the state’s jurisdiction fixes it.

4. Court Filing Fees

Filing fees are the court’s fees in the respective state of Australia. In a simple sense, these fees are charged by the court for lodging your probate application. This involves filing your legal documents, registering with the court’s registry, and having them schedule your probate hearings.

Below are the standard court filing fees in Victoria.

Solicitor’s costs for probate in Victoria include the above costs only. As these are administrative costs and are paid directly to the court, you will always be free from extra costs here.

5. Professional Fees In Australia

When professional fees come into the aspect, the solicitor’s costs for probate in Victoria are much higher. They look into various aspects of the probate process before specifying their costs. Some common factors are the complexity of the estate, search fees, courier and postage fees, and bankruptcy search fees to ensure the credibility of creditors.

It is not easy to get a fair estimate while deciding how much you may have to pay to a solicitor. Apart from the above factors, some of the solicitors can also pass on the hourly rates or 1%-5 % of estate value for their professional fees.

Nevertheless, a probate consultant in Victoria generally offers a fixed flat fee, including everything under the fee bracket. You can expect to pay $1888 (including GST) for a straightforward process and $2288 (including GST) for the complex ones.

Comparison of Probate Fees: Victoria vs. South Australia

When you compare probate fees in Victoria to those in South Australia, you will be surprised to see that South Australian laws and jurisdiction processes are different.

Apart from the advertisement fees, the courts in South Australia charge 2-10 times more than other states. As an example, the probate will cost $1858 if your estate is less than $5,00,000. Further, there are other postage costs as well.

Going through the overall probate fees in South Australia, the state generally takes much time, which adds to the fees, expenses, and disbursements for the client.

Takeaway

It is, therefore, clear that a probate consultant includes everything under one fee. The fixed flat fees cover professional service, document preparation, and costs for distributing assets and liabilities after obtaining the grant. On the other hand, solicitor’s fees for probate in Victoria include GST, postage fees, printing, communication, searches, and other minor fees for a single client.

Decide whether you would like to pay fixed fees for the probate process or still choose upfront costs and extra expenses with a solicitor.

Choose Probate Consultants with a Free Booking

We are a team of experts at Probate Consultants in Australia. We believe that settling the probate shouldn’t take more than a month, and so we guarantee you fast approval for your probate. No matter the size, we aim to be your representative in the times when you need one most.

Our pricing structure is fixed and the same for lower or higher values of the estate. So, whether you are looking for probate fees in South Australia or Victoria, or any other state in Australia, we are quick in our service delivery.