Estate Administration Services & Pricing

When a person passes away, they leave behind assets which need to be distributed to beneficiaries, less any liabilities. The process of managing and settling these assets and liabilities, and the transition from the deceased person to the beneficiaries, is referred to as the ‘estate administration’. An executor (if named in the Will) or an administrator (if appointed by the Court because there is either no Will or no one named as executor in the Will) bears the responsibility for managing the deceased's affairs and transferring the assets to the beneficiaries. To verify the authority of the person named in the Will as executor to conduct this process, the Estate Administration process may involve obtaining from the court, a Grant of Probate. Where there is no Will or no named executor in a Will, and an administrator is required, then usually the next of kin for the deceased will have to apply to the court for what is called a Grant of Letters of Administration, in order to administer the estate. The estate administration process can be confusing, complex, and difficult to deal with especially after the loss of a loved one. An experienced estate administration lawyer such as the team at Estate First Lawyers can help guide you through this process and apply to the court for a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration. There are specific duties and obligations that the executor or administrator owe to the estate and to the beneficiaries. In certain circumstances, if these duties are not accomplished, the executor or administrator can be replaced and/or might be held personally liable (for instance, in relation to unpaid tax liabilities of the deceased, distributing too early, etc). These risks are detailed more here. It is vital that an executor or administrator obtain professional advice from an estate administration lawyer during this process to minimise their personal risk.

In the administration process, an executor or administrator is responsible for conducting various duties and obligations, such as calling in assets into the estate, sorting the liabilities and distributing the estate in accordance with the last Will of the deceased (or if there is no Will, then in accordance with the rules around intestacy). Subject to the terms of the Will, the complexity of the estate and whether there are any disputes, the time it takes to administer an estate can vary from six months to several years. We find that we can complete most estates for our clients with uncontested matters within twelve months. The professional, experienced and understanding team at Estate First can assist you with the knowledge, guidance and support required to ensure that your loved one’s estate is handled efficiently and with care at this difficult time.

When a loved one dies, you have to make many decisions at a very emotionally challenging time. This can be even more difficult when coupled with the legal complexities involved in applying to the court for documents (such as a grant of probate or letters of administration), transferring assets (whether that is property through the titles office, shares on the ASX, or various requirements from banks, nursing homes and other institutions), or having the correct advice to know which liabilities of the deceased to pay. There are also tax implications with various transfers and knowing the right way to go can save thousands of dollars. One of our professional and experienced Estate Administration Lawyers can shoulder this heavy burden. Our Estate Administration and Trust Administration Lawyers are experts in this area, having had decades of experience specifically with estate administration matters. Where possible, we fix fee our services so that you have certainty around the professional fee. Contact our Estate Administration Lawyers to make an appointment or to find out more about how we can help you. Call Estate First Lawyers today on 1300 132 567 today. For estate administration services, we can assist you in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.