Executor confidentiality

MrsP08

Hi,

I'm one of the Executors in my aunts will, one of the other executors has been showing and discuss the will and estate accounts along with beneficiary inheritance figures. Is this legal?

Thanks

Alter_ego

Showing to whom?

Yorkshireman99

MrsP08 wrote: »

Hi,

I'm one of the Executors in my aunts will, one of the other executors has been showing and discuss the will and estate accounts along with beneficiary inheritance figures. Is this legal?

Thanks

Nothing inherently wrong but executors must ensure they are even handed and don’t show preference to one beneficiary. Unwise would be my word for what has been done but more detail needed fo a definitive answer.

TBagpuss

As soon as probate is granted the will becomes a public document, and anyone can get a copy.

Who is the other executor showing the figures to? It's normal for estate accounts to be provided to the residuary beneficiaries, but if he is sharing information with others this is indiscreet, but not illegal.

Robisere

I was faced with a situation somewhat worse than this. My brother had died of lung cancer a few months before and my dad was also in the same position. I was the executor of my mum's will and kept it hidden away from everyone except my remaining brother and sister in law. My deceased brother had remarried a divorcee after his first wife of many years died and no one in the family liked his second wife. She managed to insert herself into my vulnerable mother's good books: mum was very ill herself with advanced angina, but allowed this woman to help care for her. The care always seemed to consist of sitting by mum's bed, talking her head off and eating her treats.

One evening when I came from work, my 'good' SIL told me that the 'new' SIL had told her where the Will was, and showed her, saying that I had told her where it was and actually showed her the Will. I was really angry about this and I informed 'good' SIL that I had done no such thing. This caused family distress, but good SIL and my brother believed me. After my mother died, I took up this lie with the new SIL in front of the whole family. The woman left and none of us contacted her again. It turned out that she had also convinced my dying brother to leave her the house and all his money, despite the fact that he had 3 adult sons who should have been included in his bequests.

In your position, I would make it plain to the other executor that the will was no one's business but the both of you. These things can go wrong, often way after events take their course.