Farm or business in the estate: use a solicitor.
The estate includes a working farm or shares in a trading business. Agricultural Relief and Business Relief are potentially available but both have complex conditions, significant tax at stake, and Revenue scrutiny. This is outside DIY probate scope. This page explains why, and what to do instead.
Why farms and businesses need professional advice.
Agricultural Relief and Business Relief both reduce the taxable value of qualifying assets by 90%. On a €2 million farm, that is the difference between €528,000 CAT and €52,800. These reliefs are among the most valuable in the Irish tax code, but they come with strict qualifying conditions and Revenue scrutinises claims carefully.
The scope of ProbatePack products is personal applications for estates without complex relief structuring. Once a farm or business is in the estate, the stakes and complexity justify professional advice. A solicitor costs €3,000 to €10,000. Getting the relief right can save €100,000+. The value of getting it right is the biggest argument against DIY.
What to do instead of DIY.
Use the Readiness Check as a briefing
The €79 Readiness Check produces a structured document summarising the estate, assets, beneficiaries, and tax position. Bring it to your solicitor's first meeting. This typically saves 2-4 hours of solicitor time and €500-€1,000 in fees.
Get multiple quotes
Solicitor probate fees vary wildly. A €500,000 farm estate could be quoted €3,500 or €8,000 by different firms for identical work. Get three quotes. Ask specifically about fixed vs hourly. Ask what is included and what is extra.
Ask about the relief claim specifically
Make sure the quote includes Agricultural Relief or Business Relief claims. These are specialist tax work and sometimes billed separately from the base probate fee. Surprises here can add thousands.
Keep tax filing separate if you prefer
Some firms charge extra for IT38 filings (per beneficiary). You can file these yourself using myAccount if you have the calculations. the Complete Bundle's CAT calculator works here if you buy it alongside using a solicitor for the main application.
Three expensive misconceptions.
Thinking 'farm' means the 90% relief automatically applies. The 80% agricultural assets test must be met by the beneficiary on the day before and day after the inheritance. The active farmer test or the six-year lease alternative must apply. The six-year retention rule applies. Failing any of these costs the full relief.
Assuming Business Relief applies to any company shares. Only shares in unlisted trading companies qualify. Shares in investment companies, holding companies with primarily investment assets, or listed companies are excluded. The two-year ownership test and retention rule also apply.
Using a non-specialist solicitor. General-practice solicitors handle probate but may not be confident with Agricultural or Business Relief. Ask for Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) members or firms with a named private-client partner.
Use the Readiness Check as a structured briefing for your solicitor.
€79 for a document that summarises the estate, identifies the likely reliefs, and maps the tax position. Most firms charge this amount just for an intake meeting. Bring the report instead, and reduce their work.
Readiness Check
Structured briefing document to bring to solicitors. Identifies likely reliefs, summarises assets, maps tax position.
See the packSolicitor directly
If you prefer to go straight to a solicitor, that is the right call for this estate type. Get three quotes.
See alternative