Will advice

ludel

I need some advice re wills and life insurance please. My father died 6 months ago, after his funeral my stepmother told me that myself and my sister were named as beneficiaries in his will for his life insurance. She did not tell us how much but said it was a substantial amount and that she needed copies of our birth certificates. A month ago she let us know that she did not want anything more to do with us, a shock as we previously had a good relationship, and we haven't heard from her since. We have not seen a copy of the will but assume she is the executor. What are our rights re the will and the life insurance? I'm looking for advice as to what our next steps should be. I have checked and she has not been granted probate yet. Any help given would be much appreciated.

NAR

Probate can take quite a considerable amount of time depending on the complexities of the estate, as reading other threads here will verify.
I think at this stage you should be trying to clarify why she wants nothing more to do with you. Is it because you have done better out of the will than her or what? Six months is a short period of time in the grieving process, as I'm sure you know, and perhaps she could do with more support/help from you and your sister.

Mojisola

Usually, life insurance is paid out directly to the named individuals - it doesn't become part of the estate and so can be dealt with immediately.

AMILLIONDOLLARS

Lets hope she hasn't stolen your money!

She has a duty of care if she is the executor. If it is found that she has not distributed the funds as specified in the Will, she will be liable for any amounts due to the beneficiaries you may need to employ a solicitor to act on your behalf to issue a letter to remind her of her duties, before you take things further.

Good Luck

AMD

RAS

Contact the probate registry to find out if the will has been proved. You can get a copy if it has as this is a public document.