Step children contest will

onwards&upwards

mamia2 said:

AnotherJoe said:

Flugelhorn said:

even if your father left no will then it is likely that only his children would have inherited, they are probably assuming that they have a right to share in the estate but they haven't. shows why it is important for second time around couples to ensure that all children get remembered in the will one way or another 

That would depend if he adopted them, wouldnt it? Admittedly OPs tone is that he didnt.

No they were never adopted and to be honest my father had very little to do with them even when they lived at home, we were like two seperate families, strange but true

This is a very sad story for those step kids, their mum married a man who didn't want much to do with them, then she left him all her money and they never benefitted from a penny.  You can understand why they're upset, I hope?  

Martin_the_Unjust

pickledonionspaceraider said:

I am sure the deceased wife would have expected her husband to do right by her children considering he 'Dad inherited everything form second wife'. Do you think if she realised he was going to shaft her over, she might have left him with nothing and left it all to her own children, in the first place?

Their own mothers blood sweat and tears has gone into building up that estate, for them to end up with nothing, whilst you and siblings get it all. How would you feel if it was the other way round ?

Everything isn't always about 'the law' sometimes we need to do what is morally right, what we can live with 

Honestly answer yourself this - how would you feel if it was the other way round :- your dad had worked hard all his life and predeceased his wife, who then went on to leave his entire fortune to her own children whilst you looked on....Feel good about that?

IMO you are trying to justify this by speaking of the lack of relationship your Dad had with the step children, but that is really not what this is about, and is nothing compared to what is happening here. 

Perhaps it would have been better to have climbed down from that high horse and read all the thread?

Or you could continue jumping to wrong conclusions, your call

mamia2

pickledonionspaceraider said:

I am sure the deceased wife would have expected her husband to do right by her children considering he 'Dad inherited everything form second wife'. Do you think if she realised he was going to shaft her over, she might have left him with nothing and left it all to her own children, in the first place?

Their own mothers blood sweat and tears has gone into building up that estate, for them to end up with nothing, whilst you and siblings get it all. How would you feel if it was the other way round ?

Everything isn't always about 'the law' sometimes we need to do what is morally right, what we can live with 

Honestly answer yourself this - how would you feel if it was the other way round :- your dad had worked hard all his life and predeceased his wife, who then went on to leave his entire fortune to her own children whilst you looked on....Feel good about that?

IMO you are trying to justify this by speaking of the lack of relationship your Dad had with the step children, but that is really not what this is about, and is nothing compared to what is happening here. 

If you read the whole thread , you would see nothing was 'normal' about this situation, my two siblings were deliberately left out of their mothers will , why we don't know they were minors at the time ! 
I know for a fact had the boot been on the other foot the only people inheriting would be the step children .and not even her own biogical children. As mentioned alot of other stuff has gone on against my dad which I won't post on public forum . Please don't judge people so viscously when you don't know the facts , it is cruel and hurtful. And unnecessary . I was only asking for help and advice . Thanks again ! 

mamia2

onwards&upwards said:

mamia2 said:

AnotherJoe said:

Flugelhorn said:

even if your father left no will then it is likely that only his children would have inherited, they are probably assuming that they have a right to share in the estate but they haven't. shows why it is important for second time around couples to ensure that all children get remembered in the will one way or another 

That would depend if he adopted them, wouldnt it? Admittedly OPs tone is that he didnt.

No they were never adopted and to be honest my father had very little to do with them even when they lived at home, we were like two seperate families, strange but true

This is a very sad story for those step kids, their mum married a man who didn't want much to do with them, then she left him all her money and they never benefitted from a penny.  You can understand why they're upset, I hope?  

That wasn't the case , as mentioned previously alot went on behind the scenes that is private. If Dad had gone first we would have been left out , not happy with that thought but accept it . If you read through she died intestate and didn't leave my dad money. Most of the wealth has been built up since my dad was on his own . It's not that my dad didn't want anything to do with the step kids so please don't jump to wrong conclusions please . Thanks 

unholyangel

pickledonionspaceraider said:

I am sure the deceased wife would have expected her husband to do right by her children considering he 'Dad inherited everything form second wife'. Do you think if she realised he was going to shaft her over, she might have left him with nothing and left it all to her own children, in the first place?

Their own mothers blood sweat and tears has gone into building up that estate, for them to end up with nothing, whilst you and siblings get it all. How would you feel if it was the other way round ?

Everything isn't always about 'the law' sometimes we need to do what is morally right, what we can live with 

Honestly answer yourself this - how would you feel if it was the other way round :- your dad had worked hard all his life and predeceased his wife, who then went on to leave his entire fortune to her own children whilst you looked on....Feel good about that?

IMO you are trying to justify this by speaking of the lack of relationship your Dad had with the step children, but that is really not what this is about, and is nothing compared to what is happening here. 

While I do agree with the sentiment about including them, the stepmum technically didn't leave the dad anything since there wasn't a will. However, for all we know, this is exactly what she planned to happen and didn't make a will because she was happy for it to pass solely to the husband. 

There also is the issue of how much of stepmums estate is actually left? Say she left 50k (since house appears to have passed outside of the estate) and the dads estate is now 500k. How much of the 50k is left? All of it? Some of it? None of it? The monthly gas bill etc....was that being paid by the dad using his own money, the stepmums money or a mixture? The only way to know how much was left would be if it was kept entirely separate for this whole time. 

Why is it now - since the dad has passed - that they're querying it? The cynic in me says it's because they knew fine well they were excluded and why - and are now chancing their arm that the OP/sibling does not.

mamia2

unholyangel said:

pickledonionspaceraider said:

I am sure the deceased wife would have expected her husband to do right by her children considering he 'Dad inherited everything form second wife'. Do you think if she realised he was going to shaft her over, she might have left him with nothing and left it all to her own children, in the first place?

Their own mothers blood sweat and tears has gone into building up that estate, for them to end up with nothing, whilst you and siblings get it all. How would you feel if it was the other way round ?

Everything isn't always about 'the law' sometimes we need to do what is morally right, what we can live with 

Honestly answer yourself this - how would you feel if it was the other way round :- your dad had worked hard all his life and predeceased his wife, who then went on to leave his entire fortune to her own children whilst you looked on....Feel good about that?

IMO you are trying to justify this by speaking of the lack of relationship your Dad had with the step children, but that is really not what this is about, and is nothing compared to what is happening here. 

While I do agree with the sentiment about including them, the stepmum technically didn't leave the dad anything since there wasn't a will. However, for all we know, this is exactly what she planned to happen and didn't make a will because she was happy for it to pass solely to the husband. 

There also is the issue of how much of stepmums estate is actually left? Say she left 50k (since house appears to have passed outside of the estate) and the dads estate is now 500k. How much of the 50k is left? All of it? Some of it? None of it? The monthly gas bill etc....was that being paid by the dad using his own money, the stepmums money or a mixture? The only way to know how much was left would be if it was kept entirely separate for this whole time. 

Why is it now - since the dad has passed - that they're querying it? The cynic in me says it's because they knew fine well they were excluded and why - and are now chancing their arm that the OP/sibling does not.

Thanks for your comments, it's amazing when money is involved how quick people get in touch when they haven't been for 20+ years . No condolences just asking about money within a week of funeral !!! 

gwynlas

You could if you want provide them with a copy of the will, as they will be able to obtain one later anyway, 
Provide a covering letter to say that you have applied for probate and will be carrying out deseased fathers wishes,
They will then have evidence to take to a solicitor who should tell them they have no grounds to contest it or point out the costs involved in bringing it to court where they would no doubt lose.