Wills and Probate

Wills · Probate · Estate administration

Wills, probate, and the bit afterwards.

A clear will, properly executed. Probate handled with regulated legal partners we trust. And the financial side – estate accounts, IHT, period-of-administration tax – handled by us, in plain English, at a fixed fee.

Plain-EnglishWill reviews
ProbateVia regulated partner
Estate accountsDrafted properly
IHT400Filed with care

A coordinated team for everything around death and estate

Most people only do this once or twice in a lifetime, and almost always while grieving. The mistake is trying to coordinate a will-writer, a probate solicitor, an accountant and HMRC yourself. That fragmentation is where errors creep in – and where families end up paying more tax than they need to.

We sit at the centre of the financial side: reviewing your will for tax-efficiency before it is signed; handling the estate accounts, IHT account and administration-period tax after death; and partnering with regulated will-writers and probate solicitors so you only need to manage one relationship. Where pure legal work is involved we hand off to qualified professionals; we never pretend we are something we are not.

In your fixed fee

What’s included

  • Will review and tax-efficiency check
  • Recommendations on will trusts where they help
  • Coordination with our trusted will-writing partner
  • Coordination with our trusted probate solicitor
  • IHT account preparation (IHT205, IHT207, IHT400, IHT100)
  • Period-of-administration income tax and CGT
  • Estate accounts for executors
  • Distribution schedules for beneficiaries
  • Capital gains rebasing on assets at date of death
  • Will trust setup post-grant if specified in the will
Why Mercian

Why clients stay

A genuinely modern approach

Cloud accounting, MTD-ready workflows and secure document portals — no shoeboxes of receipts, no surprise emails in March.

Fixed fees, no clock-watching

A clear price agreed up front. Call us as often as you need without worrying about a meter running.

Senior advice, not call-centre answers

Every client has a named accountant who knows your situation — not a ticket queue.

FAQ

Common questions

Can you write my will?
Will-writing is a regulated legal service – we partner with a regulated will-writer rather than do it ourselves. We sit on the call, advise on tax-efficient drafting, and review the final draft before you sign.
Can you do my probate?
Granting probate is a reserved legal activity. We work with a probate solicitor partner for the legal stage; we then handle all the financial work – IHT, estate accounts, administration-period tax. You get one coordinated team, two professional disciplines.
Do I need probate at all?
For estates under £5,000 with no property, often no. For most estates with property or substantial savings, yes. We will tell you on the first call.
What is the period of administration?
The time between death and the final distribution to beneficiaries. The estate is a separate taxpayer during this period, with its own income tax and CGT obligations. We handle them.
How long until the estate is wound up?
6-12 months for simple estates; 12-24 months for complex estates with property, business assets, foreign assets or contested elements. We give a realistic timetable on the first call.

Need a hand with a will or an estate?

Book a free 30-minute call. We will tell you straight whether we can help, what it would cost, and what to do next. No sales pitch, no obligation.