If your loved one has just passed away, you may be wondering about the cost for the grant of probate or letters of administration.
Cost of Grant of Probate
To understand the cost of grant of probate, you will need to understand the differences between an uncontested probate application and a contested probate application.
The cost of grant of probate (if uncontested) is S$950 nett, if the deceased’s assets are valued at less than S$3 million. In the event that the deceased’s assets are valued at above S$3 million, an application will need to be made at the High Court. This will lead to additional Court filing fees. As such, the cost of grant of probate (uncontested) in the High Court will be above S$2,500 nett.
The fees of a probate lawyer in Singapore will also increase if there are additional work or factors involved, such as:
- The occurrence of complication during the probate process, such as the death of a beneficiary.
- Additional work involving distribution of assets to the beneficiaries.
Hence, it is always important to highlight all your circumstances to your probate lawyer in order to get an accurate quotation of your probate lawyer’s fees.
What if the probate application is contested- example, if one or more beneficiaries is contesting the validity of the Will?
In such a case, the cost of probate will most likely rise above S$5,000.00 due to additional work involved especially if the matter is complicated or takes a long time to be settled. Some lawyers will charge an hourly fee, while some lawyers will charge a fixed fee for each stage of the proceedings. The probate lawyer’s fees may exclude disbursements, such as Court filing fees, photocopying charges, postage costs and other miscellaneous costs.
Cost of Letters of Administration
An application for letters of administration tend to be more expensive due to additional work involved. The cost of letters of administration (if uncontested) is S$950 nett, if the deceased’s assets are valued at less than S$3 million. If the assets of the deceased are valued at more than S$3 million, an application will similarly need to be made at the High Court. This will lead to additional filing fees and the cost of letters of administration at the High Court will similarly be in the range of S$3,500 nett to S$5,000 nett.
The fees of a letters of administration lawyer may also increase if additional services (such as making a request for dispensation of sureties).
Payment
Some lawyers will require an upfront payment of the full amount. This is normally the case when the probate lawyer is charging a fixed cost for the entire proceedings and his/ her fees are relatively low. In cases where the application is contested, most lawyers will request for an initial deposit as the end amount payable may be unknown at the initial stage. Disbursements may also be charged separately. The initial deposit for a contested case will likely be in the range of S$1,000 to S$2,000.
For more information on the cost of an application for probate/ letters of administration, please contact us at +6598330314 (whatsapp).
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