Fixed Fee Probate for Deaths Overseas

Dealing with probate when a loved one dies is a difficult task to cope with, at a time when you are grieving. If the death occurred overseas, or they owned property or investments abroad, it can be even more difficult. This is where a fixed fee probate service may come in useful.

What Are the Advantages of a Fixed Fee Probate Service?

Dealing with probate can be a costly affair. If you use a solicitor to deal with your loved ones estate on your behalf, costs could easily spiral out of control, particularly if the deceased’s financial affairs are complicated.

A fixed fee probate service will allow you to agree an upfront cost to deal with everything. That way you won’t pay any more than the agreed amount. Also, even though you agree the cost up front, you will not have to pay until the estate is settled, so you don’t need to worry about being out of pocket yourself.

Common Complications If a Loved One Dies Overseas

The complexity of dealing with probate if your loved one has died while living overseas will depend on the country they died in. If they death occurred in a commonwealth country, obtaining and dealing with probate could be quite straightforward.

But if your loved one has died in Spain, for example there are some important issues to consider. If death duties are not paid within six months of the death, you may face surcharges. Also, if your loved one resided in Spain, capital gains tax and inheritance tax must be paid on their global assets, not just those that they held in Spain.

One of biggest problems with probate in Spain is that even joint accounts will be frozen, until probate is obtained. If you are the surviving relative and you rely on access to those accounts, you will want to obtain probate as soon as possible.

What Does an Overseas Fixed Fee Probate Service Deal With?

An expert overseas probate service like the one offered by IWC can deal with a number of things on your behalf. For example, they can offer a full service, which deals with everything from applying for probate to calculating and paying taxes and distributing the estate.

They also offer a foreign will writing service, a probate application service and free telephone advice. They can apply for power of attorney

on your behalf and they can apply to access the deceased’s foreign stocks and shares.

If you use an expert overseas fixed fee probate service, it can remove a huge burden at your time of grief. You won’t have to worry about dealing with language barriers that could be involved in dealing with your loved ones estate and you won’t have to calculate complicated foreign taxes, or the translation of foreign documents.

The British legal system can be complex enough to understand at the best of times, but foreign laws are completely different and if your loved one dies in a non-English speaking country, it makes sense to appoint an expert to deal with probate on your behalf.

IWC Estate Planning & Management Ltd. are a specialist Will Writing and Probate Company offering nationwide coverage. The company provides probate services and rates are agreed with clients in advance. Probate fees are based on the work that has to be carried out, rather than

the estate value or at an hourly rate.

IWC are regulated by the Society of Will Writers and Estate Planning Practitioners and registered at Companies House. Their head office is located in Croydon, Surrey, with satellite office coverage across most of England. Follow us on Twitter @IWCLtd