Deceased Estates - VIC

Option 1 - Obtain Probate or Letters of Administration

Fixed Fee — $1,430.00 (inc GST) (+ Supreme Court Advertisement ($38.00) and Filing Fee* )

  • We handle all tasks required to obtain a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration

  • Grants within as little as 15 days

  • All online, including electronic signing from any part of Australia or in person

  • No upfront payment, no hidden charges

Option 2 - Estate Administration

Fixed Fee — Tailored Quote

We handle every aspect of estate administration your matter requires, including (case by case):

  • Obtain Probate or Letters of Administration

  • Closure of bank accounts, superannuation entitlements, Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) claims, sale or transfer of investments, including ASX shares, ETFs, and other holdings

  • Transmission applications, survivorship applications, transfer or sale of real estate

  • Trust account management

  • Preparation of documentation, waivers and distribution to beneficiaries

  • Facilitation of taxation compliance, etc

Supreme Court Filing Fee *

(Gross Value of Victorian Assets - Date of Death)

Less than $250,000 = $0.00

$250,000 or more but less than $500,000 = $544.00

$500,000 or more but less than $1,000,000 = $1,088.00

$1,000,000 or more but less than $2,000,000 = $2,538.70

$2,000,000 or more but less than $3,000,000 = $5,077.40

$3,000,000 or more but less than $5,000,000 = $7,598.80

$5,000,000 or more but less than $7,000,000 = $12,693.40

$7,000,000 or more = $17,770.80

Acting in a Deceased Estate

What Does Estate Administration Involve?

Administering an estate is a series of legal, financial, and administrative steps, depending on the complexity of the Estate.

The first step is to obtain authority to act. Depending on whether the deceased left a valid will, this means applying for either a Grant of Probate (where an executor is named) or Letters of Administration (where there is no will, or no executor able to act). This grant is what allows an estate to legally deal with the deceased's assets.

From there, the work is largely about identifying, securing, and dealing with everything the deceased owned. In practice, this can include:

  • Closing bank accounts and drawing funds to trust

  • Dealing with real estate — whether that means a transmission application to transfer the property into a beneficiary's name, a survivorship application for jointly held property, or arranging a sale

  • Claiming superannuation death benefits from the relevant fund

  • Recovering a Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) if the deceased was in aged care

  • Selling or transferring investments, such as ASX-listed shares, ETFs, or other holdings, to beneficiaries or on the open market

Alongside this, there's usually an ongoing layer of financial management and compliance. Estate funds often need to be held in a trust account until they can be properly distributed, and the estate itself may have tax obligations — such as a date-of-death tax return — that need to be finalised before administration can close.

The final stage is distribution — preparing the documentation beneficiaries need to receive their entitlement (including any waivers or releases), and paying out the estate in accordance with the will or the rules of intestacy.

Not every estate involves all of these steps, and some involve considerably more. A simple estate with one bank account and no property looks very different from one with a house, a share portfolio, and multiple beneficiaries. That's why we assess each matter individually and provide a fixed, tailored quote based on what your estate actually requires — rather than an hourly rate that leaves the final cost uncertain.

How Long Does an Application for Letters of Administration Take in Victoria?

The timeframe varies depending on the circumstances of the estate and the processing times of the Supreme Court of Victoria.

The first step is to advertise the intent to apply via the Supreme Court

15 days after the advertisement is made, the application can be filed with the Court. Usually, Letters of Administration are granted 1-2 business days from there, Probate applications can take 1-3 weeks.

If additional information is requested by the Court (known as a requisition), the timeframe may be extended.

What separates CAC Legal from other providers?

Our estate services come with nearly two decades of Estate experience:

  • Successful administration of hundreds of Estates

  • Extensive experience with complex assets and structures

  • Trust Account operation and auditing

  • Clear guidance and communication

Can I use CAC Legal from any part of Australia?

Absolutely.

As an innovative and modern law firm, we have the facilities to sign/witness court documents from any part of Australia.

While we are always happy to see clients in our Collins Street office, many matters are completed completely remotely/electronic.

Speak with a solicitor today (03) 9039 6567