Wills and estates lawyer fees in Adelaide

How fees usually work

• Wills and enduring powers of attorney are often charged as a fixed fee.
• Applying for probate and administering an estate may be a fixed fee for simple estates, or charged on time for complex ones.
• Contested estates are usually charged by the hour, and costs can be significant, so ask early about likely total costs.

Costs that aren't the lawyer's fee

Applying for probate involves court filing fees, listed on the CourtsSA website. The Public Trustee of South Australia also prepares wills and administers estates, so it's worth comparing.

Your right to know the costs up front

South Australian lawyers must disclose their costs at the start of the engagement. That includes a range of estimated total costs and what could change it, how often you'll be billed, your right to negotiate the costs agreement, your right to an itemised bill, and how to dispute costs, including complaining to the Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner about overcharging.

Questions to ask first

• Is this a fixed fee or hourly? If hourly, what is the rate and roughly how many hours do you expect?
• What is included, and what would cost extra?
• Which costs are disbursements or official fees, and roughly how much are they?
• How often will I be billed, and can I get an update on costs as we go?

Free and low-cost help in South Australia

• The Legal Services Commission of South Australia gives free legal information and advice, and legal aid if you're eligible.
• The Law Handbook, published by the Legal Services Commission, explains the law in plain English.

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