A few Questions, Advice Needed.

Sea_Shell

I didn't think the house formed part of the estate any longer. Wasn't it gifted/sold/transferred to children 3 + 4 BEFORE he died?? If so, what are 1 + 2 contesting....as the will was 25% to each child...perfectly fair. (the fact that the assets left in the estate is less than they were expecting, is the bug-bear)

If they had a problem (or weren't told) about the transfer of the house, then that was the time to have faced up to Dad about it, surely.

mrschaucer

YoungBlueEyes wrote: »

MrsChaucer - their point was to contest and overturn the will on the grounds that 4 full daughters should get 4 equal shares. The rules of intestacy would then apply, and the house and bank account would be shared equally between us all.

In their dreams!

nom_de_plume

Sea_Shell wrote: »

I didn't think the house formed part of the estate any longer. Wasn't it gifted/sold/transferred to children 3 + 4 BEFORE he died?? If so, what are 1 + 2 contesting....as the will was 25% to each child...perfectly fair. (the fact that the assets left in the estate is less than they were expecting, is the bug-bear)

If they had a problem (or weren't told) about the transfer of the house, then that was the time to have faced up to Dad about it, surely.

The house, according to the OP's first post was transferred to 3 & 4 but, had that not happened, it was bequeathed to the in the will in any case.

3+4 also got his house (transferred a few years ago, not inherited in the will although it was reiterated in the will).

nom_de_plume

YoungBlueEyes wrote: »

Dad died recently, leaving 4 daughters from 2 marriages.

Can we assume 1 & 2 have a different mother to 3 & 4? If so, is there perhaps a reason relating to that as to your father's decision? Perhaps their side of the family has wealth they are likely to inherit that you and your 'full' sister will not?

YoungBlueEyes

Thats what I thought mrschaucer, but til my appointment with my solicitor I treat this forum as a sounding board/good advice. Sometimes you just need to hear someone tell you youre not going mad, if that makes sense? I dont want to get blasè and overconfident, thinking I know what Im doing, then trip myself up because of my own arrogance.
Dad was married twice, first marriage produced 1+2, 3+4 are second marriage. I dont think they have wealth coming to them, their mother died a few years ago but I dont think they got much (if anything) from her.
Yep dad left the house to me + 4 in his will, which was drawn up in 2003. In 2014 he transferred it to me + 4 so I didnt think it could ever be part of the estate now. They knew about me + 4 getting the house, 1 approached dad about it a few years ago, he stuck to his guns despite vociferous protestations.
The trouble is (without giving away too much identifiable information hopefully) 2 is at the top of the tree in a well known learning establishment so people doing everything she asks is normal to her. People saying no gets her riled up and she comes out all guns blazing. So the stuff she comes out with sounds so convincing it sometimes makes me doubt myself. Then I come on here and the weight is lifted Thank god for all of you!

Red-Squirrel_2

Did your dad continue to live in the house after he gave it to you and your sister? If so, I'm no expert, but I think it would be deemed that he still had 'beneficial ownership' perhaps? I don't think that would in anyway affect the challenge to the will, but maybe other things such as IHT? Hopefully someone who knows more than me can address that!

It does seem clear that your older sisters won't succeed in any challenge, but I do feel very sorry for them and understand why they are angry at your dad. I hope one day all 4 of you will be able to be sisters, whatever you decide to do.

YoungBlueEyes

Sea Shell they arent happy that they didnt get 1/4 of the house too. So theyre contesting the will on the grounds that it didn't make equal provision for them as equal daughters (i.e. not step daughters or adopted or whatever). Equal daughters therefore equal share.
Nom de Plume dad was not a lover of money, if you have enough you have plenty type mindset. He gave most to me + 4 because we needed it most, 1+2 are older and established and have husbands/families/careers etc which me + 4 do not. I was dad's carer for many years so he was just seeing us right, especially as I gave up a good job to look after him. It's all being viewed as a popularity contest though, and we (3+4) should right dad's wrongs so that it's morally fair. 4 agreed and is giving them the £15k each they asked for, but I whole-heartedly disagree with that. Especially when 2 said give us £30k like 4 has or we'll take you to court. Makes me want to stick my heels in and tell them where to go!

YoungBlueEyes

Red-Squirrel yeah he did. There's a name for it (that I've forgotten now) gift with reservation maybe...? When I was doing all the IHT forms I rang the taxman and told him everything, just to make sure I was doing it right, but as it was all well under the threshold we were ok.

I understand their point too, there have been long tearful angry conversations about all this. Dad made decisions which they didn't like, and I appreciate what theyve been through because of him. But when it comes down to it, it isn't for me to "right his wrongs". It all happened years before I was even a twinkle in his eye, they were his choices to make and are not for me to rectify. Most certainly not with a substantial amount of money on the threat of being taken to court!
If that's sisters, you can keep them.

troubleinparadise

So it wasn’t their family house, it was a property acquired after the end of the first marriage, and presumably invested in by your mother and father during their marriage. It has been your family home, not your half-sisters.

Had your mother outlived your father, this probably wouldn’t have arisen.

I’m surprised the half-siblings think they have any call on the house at all - it strikes me as being a very odd way to think.

YoungBlueEyes

That's a good point troubleinparadise, I never even thought of that. I doubt we'd be in this situation of mum was still living, but frankly I wouldn't like to bet on it.
No it wasn't their family home. Dad took early retirement and bought this house with the golden goodbye (if that's the right term for whatever the opposite of a golden hello is).
If I understand them correctly, they want recognition as his daughters which they feel they are lacking because he walked out on them. They want him to make up for it, and the only way to make him (literally) pay now is to go after me and 4 for what they see as rightfully theirs. 4 agrees with them, as is her choice. I'm so angry/disappointed/disgusted with them that I need a new word to accurately describe it!