Help re :money from Will

Errata

Bennifred wrote: »

I'm sure you're right, but - ouch!:D

It's a fair point. The OP seems not to realise that a pensioner claiming benefits and attempting to hide a windfall so they can continue to claim them is defrauding other pensioners who pay tax.

margaretclare

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

I agree with what you have said MargaretClare, but the OP's mum doesn't WANT to 'pay off the mortgage and ..live contentedly for a number of years'. She wants a new kitchen and bathroom (fine, great idea), but then she wants to give away a few grand and keep the rest hidden away whilst still having her mortgage and council tax paid by the State. Her son/daughter has come on here to ask us how she can achieve this. With the best will in the world , we can't give her advice on how to commit benefit fraud!

I agree there seems to be an element of bitterness about her ex-husband's situation; I also agree that this has to be let go so that she can get on with her life. Same with the situation with bankers and politicians; just because they have done wrong doesn't mean it is OK for us to do so. Two wrongs will never make a right.

Your initial advice was good in the way she should go - pay off thre mortgage, have her holiday, make her house comfortable in whichever way she chooses and then have the rest as a nest egg. As you pointed out, she can from next April have £10k in savings without it affecting her Benefits.

No, I agree she doesn't want to. Or, that's what we're told. Is it really her own wish, or has this suggested fraud been suggested to her by others?

It is something I cannot comprehend, how someone would choose to live on means-tested benefits when there is no need to. And as you rightly say, paid for by the rest of us. NB: well into retirement years, in our 70s, we're still taxpayers, so we have an interest in this.

monkeyspanner

bing0 wrote: »

and what about the politicians ! don't get me wrong my mum has never done a wrong thing in her life and lets be honest even though this money will change her life a little it is not going to last her a life time !! She only gets about £100 p.m. in benefits and she is entitled to her pension. Its hardly the great train robbery !

Whatever we might think of politicians this is clearly a bad idea and I am sure you would not want your mum or yourself to end up in court and have a criminal record.

As Anmarj says it may not change your mum's benefits until the end of her assessed income period. Best to declare it.

margaretclare

Errata wrote: »

It's a fair point. The OP seems not to realise that a pensioner claiming benefits and attempting to hide a windfall so they can continue to claim them is defrauding other pensioners who pay tax.

Exactly. That includes DH and me. Don't do it.

seven-day-weekend

margaretclare wrote: »

No, I agree she doesn't want to. Or, that's what we're told. Is it really her own wish, or has this suggested fraud been suggested to her by others?

It is something I cannot comprehend, how someone would choose to live on means-tested benefits when there is no need to. And as you rightly say, paid for by the rest of us. NB: well into retirement years, in our 70s, we're still taxpayers, so we have an interest in this.

I can't comprehend it either Margaret Clare. I remember my m-i-l wanting to 'give away' her late husband's Occupational Pension so that she could claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit 'like her sister did'.

Obviously this was not possible, but she always resented the fact that her sister had to pay nothing and she had to pay something (not all). Although I understand this a bit , as her sister or husband never worked, and my m-i-l worked until she was 63, and my f-i-l worked until just before he died aged 55.

I think ideally she would have like to have kept his Pension AND claimed the Benefits, as she would have seen this as fair, because she should be better off than her sister.

However, she had to answer to no-body nor jump through any hoops for her money and WAS slightly better off than her sister.

Errata

think ideally she would have like to have kept his Pension AND claimed the Benefits

As would we all. Hasten the day

margaretclare

However, she had to answer to no-body nor jump through any hoops for her money and WAS slightly better off than her sister.

It's this having to answer intrusive questions, jump through hoops, that I just wouldn't want to do. I don't think I could be bothered with it.

A lot of people in this life may have more of the world's goods than I have. So what. They may/may not have earned it, deserved it - not my problem. I play the cards I was dealt and don't envy or resent what anyone else may/may not have.

seven-day-weekend

margaretclare wrote: »

It's this having to answer intrusive questions, jump through hoops, that I just wouldn't want to do. I don't think I could be bothered with it.

A lot of people in this life may have more of the world's goods than I have. So what. They may/may not have earned it, deserved it - not my problem. I play the cards I was dealt and don't envy or resent what anyone else may/may not have.

Same here Margaret and a very wise philosophy if I may say so, because going through life envying other people only impacts upon YOUR life. It doesn't impact upon theirs, nor make things any fairer.

I honestly can say I envy no-one what they have. I'm very blessed with what I have and, as you say, I play the hand I was dealt.

My m-i-l however was envious of virtually everybody and in consequence died a sad and lonely woman.

Getting back on topic, the OP's mother, as we have said, seems envious of her ex-husband's situation,. She needs to conquer this and just enjoy her inheritance, making her home comfortable and live her life owing no-one anything, with a bit of savings put by. She'll be much happier in the end than trying to jump through hoops finding the best way to commit fraud.

roy62

If you get Pension Credit and are aged 65 or over and you come into money you do not have to tell the DWP for five years after your income was last assessed.

elisebutt65

margaretclare wrote: »

It's this having to answer intrusive questions, jump through hoops, that I just wouldn't want to do. I don't think I could be bothered with it.

A lot of people in this life may have more of the world's goods than I have. So what. They may/may not have earned it, deserved it - not my problem. I play the cards I was dealt and don't envy or resent what anyone else may/may not have.

Snap!! I teach on an hours only contract and am unemployed from June through to September and then don't get paid until October. I am perfectly entitled to claim IS or Jobseekers during that time as a lone parent, but I can't be faffed with all the paperwork as I'd have to cancel WTC and start claims for CTC and HB as well.

TBH it's easier to save a bit throughout the year, WTC treat me as term time only so I get my payments spread throughout the 12 months instead of 9 and just suck in my belt during the summer.

If I was in the OP's mums position, I would just declare it and be done with it.