Will my children's inheritance details be shared with me?

doni

My young children's Dad sadly passed away. I'm aware that he has left something for his kids and this will be in trust for them until they are adults. I wondered whether this information would be shared with me as their guardian but I can't seem to find an answer online. I have asked the solicitor dealing with his estate but have not had a response. 

whitesmith

I am not sure exactly what you are asking but if their father left a will then this is publicly available - you (and indeed anybody) can obtain a copy

TadleyBaggie

Will be publicly available from here (for a small fee):

https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate

greatcrested

The money will be managed on their behalf by trustees.

In many cases, the surviving parent would be named as trustee but your post suggests not in this case.

Do you know who the trustees are/will be?

The trustees might choose to consult with you as to what is in their best interests (eg paying for education), but they do not have to, nor do they have take account of your wishes.

As said above, though, wills are available on the gov probate website.

doni

TadleyBaggie said:

Will be publicly available from here (for a small fee):

https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate

whitesmith said:

I am not sure exactly what you are asking but if their father left a will then this is publicly available - you (and indeed anybody) can obtain a copy

Thank you. I do have a copy of the will which states a percentage they will receive - but I have no idea what the figure would actually be.

doni

greatcrested said:

The money will be managed on their behalf by trustees.

In many cases, the surviving parent would be named as trustee but your post suggests not in this case.

Do you know who the trustees are/will be?

The trustees might choose to consult with you as to what is in their best interests (eg paying for education), but they do not have to, nor do they have take account of your wishes.

As said above, though, wills are available on the gov probate website.

Thank you. No I am not a trustee. I do know who the trustees are but don't have a relationship with them.
I wondered whether the information would be shared with a guardian of young children.

Sailtheworld

If you're talking to solicitors then it sounds as though it's early in the process. Wills aren't publicly available until probate is granted.

Whoever is the executor of the will has a legal duty to notify beneficiaries in due course. I've given the beneficiaries a 'heads up' as a courtesy early in the process with the obvious disclaimer that nothing's certain until the estate is closed.

It'll be more formal, expensive and long winded if a solicitor is acting as an executor.

surreysaver

Are you a guardian or someone with parental responsibility?  By saying 'your children' and 'guardian' in the same sentence suggests you do not have parental responsibility for some reason?
Normally a person with parental responsibility would manage their dependants finances on their behalf.

doni

Sailtheworld said:

If you're talking to solicitors then it sounds as though it's early in the process. Wills aren't publicly available until probate is granted.

Whoever is the executor of the will has a legal duty to notify beneficiaries in due course. I've given the beneficiaries a 'heads up' as a courtesy early in the process with the obvious disclaimer that nothing's certain until the estate is closed.

It'll be more formal, expensive and long winded if a solicitor is acting as an executor.

I do have a copy of the will which details a percentage of what they will inherit. I appreciate the beneficiaries will be informed but my children and young which is why I wondered if it would be shared with me as their parent. The solicitor isn't the executor.

doni

surreysaver said:

Are you a guardian or someone with parental responsibility?  By saying 'your children' and 'guardian' in the same sentence suggests you do not have parental responsibility for some reason?
Normally a person with parental responsibility would manage their dependants finances on their behalf.

Sorry - confusing terminology used by me. Yes I am their parent with parental responsibility. My understanding is the inheritance will be managed by the trustees.

surreysaver

doni said:

surreysaver said:

Are you a guardian or someone with parental responsibility?  By saying 'your children' and 'guardian' in the same sentence suggests you do not have parental responsibility for some reason?
Normally a person with parental responsibility would manage their dependants finances on their behalf.

Sorry - confusing terminology used by me. Yes I am their parent with parental responsibility. My understanding is the inheritance will be managed by the trustees.

It may well be managed by the trustees, but you have a right, or even the legal responsibility, to oversee that management.  You would be entitled under Data Protection Legislation (assuming the children are under 16 (or whatever the age the Information Commissioner says children can make their own decisions from)) to make a Data Subject Access Request on your children's behalf.