Administration of Estates
Your dedicated lawyer will guide you through the administration of an estate
Your dedicated lawyer will guide you through the administration of an estate
Home » Services » Wills & Powers of Attorney » Administration of Estates
Home » Services » Wills & Powers of Attorney » Administration of Estates
Administration of estates - What should you consider?
Losing a loved one is always going to be a difficult time and having the responsibility for the administration of their estate can be daunting.
Dealing with legal and financial formalities can be complicated and time-consuming; therefore it helps to have our experienced probate solicitors on your side, sharing the workload and responsibility.

Do I need a solicitor to help with
administering an estate?
The process of administering an estate be complicated. In these circumstances, the support a solicitor can provide is invaluable. Having an experienced solicitor to assist you with contacting the deceased’s bank and other institutions and notifying beneficiaries of their entitlement under the estate will make things easier and quicker for you.
Solicitors are also able to provide advice about any complex issues, such as Trusts or the effect of intestacies and help you deal with any tax consequences for the estate.
Many people are not aware that solicitors can handle any stage of the administration process on your behalf, or simply assist with the stages you find most challenging.
At Goughs, you will have the dedicated support of an individual member of our team to support you through the estate administration process.
Popular questions
about administering an estate
We like to keep our fee structure fair and simple, so unlike some other firms, we don’t charge a percentage of the estate, our charges are simply based on an hourly rate and the amount of work we actually do.
For more information on our Probate Fees, please click here.
Executors are appointed in the Will. In short, In short, an executor is the person (or people) legally responsible for carrying out the wishes of someone in their will. They’ll collect in the estate and distribute it to the beneficiaries (those named in the will), and ensure any debts are paid.
There are a number of things that can be done prior to arranging a meeting with a solicitor.
We’ve created a guide for you of the different steps to use it as a checklist to navigate this difficult time.
A Deed of Variation is a document entered into where one or more of the beneficiaries of an estate wish to change the amount of inheritance they stand to receive and to pass this inheritance on to another person. Please follow this guide for more information.
At Goughs our experienced legal team is here to offer a helping hand, whether you need initial advice, assistance with a difficult stage or for someone to take responsibility for the whole probate process.
Our clients rate us excellent


Sue Greenman
Everything was completed professionally and within my tight time scales. I would like to say thank you and would definitely go back to Goughs should I need help in the future.


Ali McBrine
Thank you Alice Blackmore for your fantastic professional support, with care, compassion and kindness, of our need for explanation and understanding of the system and language in a lot of correspondence. Thank you too for being always being honest and empathic of our feelings.


Andrew Alvis
Another well-managed transaction handled promptly and professionally by Nadine Cook and her team. We have used Goughs before, will use again and would not hesitate to recommend their services to anybody.


Phil Carter
Goughs Solicitors provide a friendly, professional and extremely reassuring service. The whole team, especially Georgina Catlin, are empathetic and provide sound advice when required, you definitely feel you are in safe hands.
The Goughs team discuss
what to do when someone dies



Why work with Goughs?

Local since 1882, with an excellent reputation
First-class, effective service

Largest solicitors in Wiltshire
Seven offices throughout the county

Nationally accredited law firm
Recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners
Your estate administration team
Annie James
Solicitor
Annie qualified as a Private Client solicitor in 2016 and joined Goughs in February 2020. She specialises in the preparation of Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, preparation and administration of Trusts, and the administration of Estates. Annie prides herself on taking the time to really understand the needs and priorities of her clients.
Emma Taylor
Partner & Head of Private Client
Emma began her life at Goughs in 2008 as a Solicitor. Now, with over 15 years of experience, she is a Partner and Head of the Private Client Department. Emma deals with all areas of Private Client work but has a particular interest in Trusts and Complex Property Ownership.
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