Costs re: IHT and title transfer when spouse dies

Hi,

Please can somebody advise me. One of my parents recently died leaving me to organise the trasnfer of ownership to the other and all other details -- inheritance tax, transfer of bank.

I am horrified at all the associated costs. Can anybody advise me what a resonable solicitor fee would be for this type of work.

THanks,

Hi Archer - so sorry to hear of your loss.

The costs really can vary. Did your parents have a Spanish will in place?

Elle xx

Dear Archer40,

Sorry for your loss.

Our solicitor, Adriana Perez Legal Services deals with inheritances and my friend who used her after her husband died told me that they were really efficient and the costs we kept to a minimum.

They speak really good English and reply quickly to all your emails. They can deal with everything for you and are really helpful.

Hope this helps.

Gill.

 Archer:

Were did they have their legal domicile? Did they have properties both in the Uk and Spain? Did they leave wills either here or in the UK?

Please let us know so we can comment here on all the different possibilities. International inheritance law is a very interesting matter! sometimes almost a hyeroglyphic :)

Hi,

Thanks for all the responses.

They did have Spanish wills in place thankfully. The Spanish property was a holiday home so non-resident status applies. I have sent the death certificate with an 'apostille' so far and now seem to have quite a mounting bill for costs to transfer the property to the other name.

Is this a complicated process ie. warranting high legal fees/notary fee etc?

Advice really appreciated,

Thanks,

 Archer40,

In order to save costs, you can pay the tax and just leave the house in the Land Registry as it is. If you wait for the other one to pass away, you will just have to pay one set of Notary and Registry fees.

Please let me know if you want to know anything else,

Maria

Hi there - I had a natter to our guy Ben Simkins... and he said that providing there are no outstanding problems with it that the costs would be around €1500 - €2000. €1000 for the lawyer, €500 for the notary and a couple of hundred for the land registry. Of course different lawyers fees vary... and the IHT obviously.

Good luck - and I hope it's not all too complicated and drawn out a process for you at what must be a very difficult time.

Elle xx