We are proud to say that Mitchams Chartered Accountants have become one of the first practices in the South West to be accredited as an Authorised firm by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales to provide Non-Contentious Probate Services.
Historically, Probate work has been classified as a reserved legal service and as such was only able to be undertaken by Solicitors and other legally approved businesses. A change in legislation has now given the opportunity for Qualified Accountants to become authorised to undertake these services.
Our values as a firm are to provide a full and comprehensive service to our clients and this was the motivation behind the decision to become authorised for this work. We pride ourselves on building a close and personal relationship with our clients and for this reason all four Directors have undertaken the required training to become Authorised Individuals. This will enable us to give a continued service to our clients by allowing them to deal with someone that they know and trust at what can be a difficult time.
Our involvement in providing this service can be tailored to your specific needs. The Directors and Consultants at Mitchams are happy to be appointed as an Executor of our clients’ estates and provide a full Probate Service. Alternatively we can assist you in obtaining Probate, or simply provide you with guidance and support with the paperwork, legal requirements and tax issues that may arise.
As the service will be specifically focused to meet the needs and level of complexity of each individual client, we believe it is fairer to charge based on the work involved rather than a flat percentage of the estate. Our fees are calculated on the basis of time spent on your affairs, the levels of skill and responsibility involved and the importance and value of the service provided to you. In addition we may charge disbursements for expenses incurred in dealing with your affairs, such as professional valuations and legal fees. Before undertaking any engagement we will give an indication of the expected cost, if requested.
For over 70 years we have been providing our clients with advice on their financial affairs and, in most cases, Inheritance Tax planning. Therefore we feel it is a logical and natural progression to offer Probate Services as we have an in depth knowledge of our clients and their financial affairs. It is this depth of knowledge that we believe will enable us to offer a service that is significantly more efficient and cost effective than those currently on offer.
If you would like more information about how we can assist you please feel free to contact us for a free, non-committal initial meeting.