How to find out if I’m in the will?

RDS1984

My first ever post on here...
Hello, I received a letter in November addressed to me, looking for the next of kin to my Dad. It was from GMPF, I found out he had died in September. He had nothing to do with me, but my mom said he got in touch when I was 18 months old about including me in his will.
The GMPF aren’t telling me much at all and I’m left in the dark, but the last time I spoke to them they mentioned waiting on a will to make any decisions. So I know there’s a will, but I’m not in touch with any members of his family etc.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

elsien

You can't find out what's in a will until after probate (if needed) unless you can track down the executor and ask them. And they are not obliged to tell you unless you're a beneficiary and they're ready to distribute the estate.

"Waiting on a will" doesn't necessarily mean there is one, it could mean waiting to find out if one turns up.

RDS1984

Thanks for the response, sorry I should of worded it differently. The man I spoke to said they have requested to see the will so they are currently waiting for it.

Robin9

Is GMPF - The Greater Manchester Pension Fund ? If so not sure why they are interested in his will ? Possibly as a dependent if he died in service.

How old are you ?

RDS1984

Yeah it is. They first contacted me wanting more information on him which I couldn’t help with. But they needed the forms returning either way with at least my details on. It was to do with a death grant lump sum. GMPF had used the same agency to track me and a daughter he also had in another relationship. They had failed to track her so said they would get back to me once they had made a decision on whether I receive it or not.
I got in touch with them this week to see if there was any news. That’s when I was told about them waiting on the will.
I wasn’t named as the nominee on the pension, so I’m guessing a will would make a difference???

Keep_pedalling

This will be nothing to do with his will, i sounds more like that he has nominated the pair of you on his expression of wishes. If he has done that then you may also be in his will.

RDS1984

Well they’re waiting to receive his will before making the decision on this lump sum, so I’m guessing it will be part of his estate? Therefore it is to do with his will. If there’s a will and I’m not in it then surely the GMPF can’t just decide to give me the lump sum???

Savvy_Sue

RDS1984 wrote: »

Well they’re waiting to receive his will before making the decision on this lump sum, so I’m guessing it will be part of his estate? Therefore it is to do with his will. If there’s a will and I’m not in it then surely the GMPF can’t just decide to give me the lump sum???

Whoever he nominated on his pension fund may well be in line to receive the payout, outwith his estate, ie it's treated completely separately and has no impact on whatever else he left.

RDS1984

Well the will is obviously affecting the decision somehow. Whoever he nominated on his pension may no longer be alive. He worked for the same bus company all his life. He could of made his nomination early on, before me, before his daughter. Maybe he put one of his parents, both are not with us anymore. He was close to his sister, I’m not sure if she’s still with us anymore.
Early December GMPF told me it should be quite an easy process, decision. Between then and now something has changed and there is a will involved...

Robin9

I can understand GMPF wanting to see a copy of the death cert but not the will..

Was your dad a pensioner at the time of his death or did he die in service.?

RDS1984

He took early retirement, he retired at 60 and he was 67 when he passed away.
So there is around 3 years of his pension payable as a lump sum.
It all sounded quite straight forward early on. Although they continue to tell me very little.