The Costs of Probate in SA
Supreme Court Filing Fees for Probate applications in SA
In order to lodge a Probate application with the Supreme Court of South Australia, you must pay a Filing Fee. This is a fixed cost and the same fee is payable whether you choose to do the application yourself, use a lawyer or engage Probate Consultants.
The Filing Fee is determined according to the gross value of the deceased’s assets. See the Filing Fee tiers below:
| Filing Fee | Gross Value of Assets in the Estate |
|---|---|
| $929 | $200,000 or less |
| $1,858 | More than $200,000 but less than (or equal to) $500,000 |
| $2,475 | More than $500,000 but less than (or equal to) $1,000,000 |
| $3,715 | More than $1,000,000 |
Professional Fees
If you require professional assistance with your Probate application, you will pay the fees set by the service provider. Every service provider charges different fees and the variance between these costs can be substantial.
There are two main ways to get assistance with your Probate application:
- Lawyers
- Probate Consultants
There are pros and cons to each option. Finding the best way to apply is an important decision for executors with the costs involved being a significant factor.
Note: Executors who do not wish to apply for Probate or administer the estate can engage a Trustee Company to do so on their behalf.
Probate Lawyers
There is no standard cost that Lawyers charge for Probate applications. The fees vary from one practitioner to another and from practice to practice. Some law firms charge a percentage of the estate, whilst others quote within a range.
The fixed-fee structure is being adopted by a greater number of Lawyers, however, complex applications or those that require more work than expected often result in additional charges.
When considering a price quote from Lawyers, ensure that the following has been included to avoid any surprises in the final bill:
- GST
- Costs & Disbursements
- Filing Fee
- Other (admin, stationery, postage, etc.)
If you are quoted a ‘fixed-fee’, it is best to clarify what portion of the overall fees are fixed and under what circumstances additional fees will be incurred. This will avoid any surprises with the final invoice and ensure that you are making a fully informed decision when comparing lawyers.
Probate Consultants
Probate Consultants empower self-represented applicants to apply for Grants of Probate by providing specialist guidance and support. We charge $1,888 inc GST for Conventional Probate applications and $2,288 inc GST for Complex ones. Our fixed fees are affordable and are the same for everyone in Australia, regardless of the value of the estate. We believe that the value of the estate should not dictate the fee payable, and pride ourselves on equality in our costings.
Clients often ask how we can offer such affordable fees. Our response is always the same – We are the Probate specialists and Probate is all that we do. We have created an innovative and streamlined application process for SRAs that has made obtaining a Grant of Probate easy and fast. By collaborating with our clients we increase efficiency and ensure optimal lead times. This unique approach allows us to reduce costs without compromising on quality. The results speak for themselves.
For more information about our highly-rated service read the blog below:
