Just learned of Father's death...

Shedboy74_2

My parents split up when I was 5. I recently found out he died of a brain tumour years ago. After him and my mum divorced he eventually remarried and had 2 daughters. I would like to know, as his eldest child, am I entitled to anything? I never heard anything about a will and he was still married when he died. Can anyone point me in the right direction here?

Thanks for reading.

Robisere

His widow will inherit everything if he did indeed leave no will. If there is a will, that changes everything. You need to know if there was a will.

This might help: https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate

Or this: https://beyond.life/help-centre/admin-legal/how-to-find-a-will/

Keep_pedalling

Robisere wrote: »

His widow will inherit everything if he did indeed leave no will. If there is a will, that changes everything. You need to know if there was a will.

This might help: https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate

Or this: https://beyond.life/help-centre/admin-legal/how-to-find-a-will/

Not quite, if he died intestate and owned sole assets in excess of £250K then his widow would get £250k + 50% of the remainder, the rest would be split between the children. Children also have additional rights to movable assets If the deceased person lived in Scotland.

If probate was required then you can get a copy of those records, but it is often not necessary when the first person of a married couple die, as often the bulk of the assets are jointly owned so automatically pass to the survivor.

Shedboy74_2

Thanks very much for the replies, I've ordered a probate which I'll have on 22nd Nov. I'll wait on that and take it from there.

Socajam

Your parents split up when you were 5, how old are you now?
Obviously he did not reach out to you, but did you ever try to find him?
I read a heartbreaking story on here yesterday of an ex-wife turning the children against their father, not saying your mother did, but did you ever speak to your mother or other family members about your father etc
If I was the current wife, I would be very sceptical if you just appear out of the wood works looking for an inheritance which you may or may not be entitled to.

Shedboy74_2

Socajam wrote: »

Your parents split up when you were 5, how old are you now?
Obviously he did not reach out to you, but did you ever try to find him?
I read a heartbreaking story on here yesterday of an ex-wife turning the children against their father, not saying your mother did, but did you ever speak to your mother or other family members about your father etc
If I was the current wife, I would be very sceptical if you just appear out of the wood works looking for an inheritance which you may or may not be entitled to.

I'm 45 🤣

Yes, I went and visited him every summer for years, even spent a xmas with him one year. He all of a sudden stopped contact and didn't want to know me after I turned about 14 or 15. It's thought he was worried about me getting big and strong and then finding out about the things he did to my mum and I would react to it but I'll never know I suppose.

His wife knows about me.

DUTR

Shedboy74 wrote: »

I'm 45 🤣

Yes, I went and visited him every summer for years, even spent a xmas with him one year. He all of a sudden stopped contact and didn't want to know me after I turned about 14 or 15. It's thought he was worried about me getting big and strong and then finding out about the things he did to my mum and I would react to it but I'll never know I suppose.

His wife knows about me.

At 45 , you should already be self sufficient enough not to hope for a portion of an assumed estate from an estranged parent.
He wasn't with your Mum and yet found love and married somebody else, so he couldn't have been all that bad after all, but at 45 you would learn that from life experiences.
Finally he may have a will and may have specifically excluded you?

Shedboy74_2

DUTR wrote: »

At 45 , you should already be self sufficient enough not to hope for a portion of an assumed estate from an estranged parent.
He wasn't with your Mum and yet found love and married somebody else, so he couldn't have been all that bad after all, but at 45 you would learn that from life experiences.
Finally he may have a will and may have specifically excluded you?

Cheers for the life lesson 👍

Wasn't really asking for anyone's opinion. Just wanted pointed in the right direction for a ton of reasons you will never know of

onwards&upwards

DUTR wrote: »

He wasn't with your Mum and yet found love and married somebody else, so he couldn't have been all that bad after all,

How on Earth can you possibly know that? Loads of abusive people get married and have kids.

onwards&upwards

Shedboy74 wrote: »

Cheers for the life lesson 👍

Wasn't really asking for anyone's opinion. Just wanted pointed in the right direction for a ton of reasons you will never know of

Good luck.

xylophone

Your father died intestate? Was this before or after 1 Oct 2014?

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/sep/20/wills-inheritance-changes-intestacy-rules