Finders international probate genealogy firm has highlighted the importance of ensuring consumer choice when employing the services of professional probate genealogists. This should be founded upon the ability to receive a bespoke service which best suits their needs. Commenting, Finders’ Managing Director Daniel Curran said: “Finders specialises in helping clients – lawyers, trustees, executors or administrators and personal representatives – through the often formidable task of identifying and tracing heirs and locating missing or unknown beneficiaries. “There is a certain art to the work undertaken by professional probate genealogists framed by training, experience and expertise. Finders will work with Administrators of estates to provide a bespoke service, which includes reaching a fee agreement best suited to the needs of the consumer. “A good firm of probate genealogists will be keen to find the best fit for the consumer, and able to discuss a variety of fee options and costing methods. Contingency fee arrangements are currently the most popular fee option, as the genealogist’s fees are not charged to the estate, whether or not a missing beneficiary is located. Other fee options include the “budget” fee, the fixed fee, the estate/trust agreement and the hourly rate. Contingency fee arrangements may not always be the most appropriate, or the most cost-effective, method of charging in every circumstance. However, they provide customers with a wider choice of fee option, and can carry less risk than some other options for the estate, and for beneficiaries. “If contingency fee agreements were not available, there would be cases where a search for a missing heir is simply not undertaken, and others where the estate of known heirs is used up in fees paid for searching for missing heirs. This would restrict consumer choice and ultimately the consumer would suffer.” Finders can be contacted at 6-8 Vestry Street London N1 7RE. Tel: +44 (0)20 7490 4935 www.findersUK.com e-mail: [email protected] back to articles