Advice MIL died without leaving a will

paul2louise

She wants all the 4k costs tho as executor. He solicitor is pushing for some of the 4k to be considered beneficiary. She wants him to pay his 2k and she gets her 4k from the estate. 

Spendless

Yeah i get that but shes simply being unfair yet again. Her legal.costs as your husband's solicitor has pointed out arent purely down to being an executor. Shes incurred more due to not handing your husbands share over. She just wants more than your husband and always has. What was the solicitors advice? 

WYSPECIAL

The thing is the argument now is over £1k, which could incur more costs.
If her £4K comes from the estate and your husbands doesn’t it means it’ll end up costing her £2k and your husband £4k
If they both come out of the estate it’ll cost them £3k each.
How much time, emotional energy and money are they prepared to spend arguing over £1k. Although I can fully understand the principle involved.

Sea_Shell

paul2louise said:

She wants all the 4k costs tho as executor. He solicitor is pushing for some of the 4k to be considered beneficiary. She wants him to pay his 2k and she gets her 4k from the estate. 

At this stage....frankly....so what!!!  

WYSPECIAL said:

Thing the argument now is over £1k, which could incur more costs.
If her £4K comes from the estate and your husbands doesn’t it means it’ll end up costing her £2k and your husband £4k
If they both come out of the estate it’ll cost them £3k each.
How much time, emotional energy and money are they prepared to spend arguing over £1k. Although I can fully understand the principle involved.

Just to be clear on the numbers here...

Lets assume the gross value of the estate is £200,000*.   So your husband is due £100,000.

He has costs of £2000, and she has costs of £4000.

If they all come from the estate, then the net estate would be £194,000, so they'd each get £97,000


If she gets her way, then the net estate would be £196,000, so he'd get £98,000, from which he'd then have to pay his own costs, so left with £96,000.

So a difference of £1000.     Peanuts.   

It's been 4 YEARS!!!     So you could say he would be arguing over less than 70p a day


I can understand that he doesn't want to give an inch, when she's already taken a mile, but think about this with your head, not your heart.         



*At least, that's the figure in your OP.

Sea_Shell

Another point, £96k held by yourselves at 4% interest, would take just 95 days to recoup the "lost" £1000.

Food for thought.

Get that "bird in the hand" asap, rather than press for that other "one in the bush". 😉

kipsterno1

For what it's worth I'm with Sea Shell. I would be tempted to put a very fair but clear time scale of the distribution taking place, If possible with a penalty for not complying.

Spendless

Glad others have done the sums and worked out even letting SisIL have her way it's not that much difference for your DH. I'm rubbish at maths but then remember so is SIL which is why in the early days of this thread she was going on about needing an accountant, when even I can divide 200,000  in half without the use of the calculator. SIL probably hadn't realised, like I hadn't that we are only talking £1K difference, rather than she gets all her costs paid for and your husband has to pay his. 

Ganga

Having followed this post from the start i would agree with what others have said ,let her have her petty victory and get your money and enjoy your life ,would also say would not p--s on her if she was on fire ,do what seashell says and bank the money for 6 months and you will be up ,i think hers will not last long and she will be back in the future cap in hand.

Angelica123

paul2louise said:

She wants all the 4k costs tho as executor. He solicitor is pushing for some of the 4k to be considered beneficiary. She wants him to pay his 2k and she gets her 4k from the estate. 

Let your SIL have what she wants if that will get you over the line to ending this altogether. As others have said, the sum is marginal as a proportion of the entire state. Let her have her small victory and prioritise all efforts in getting the money sent in a timely fashion. 

If this is the only thing standing in your way, agree and move on. Don't waste any more time arguing over the minutiae. 

This thread has really been eye opening in terms of what happens when people don't make wills. I have sorted my will but it's a story that might encourage others to get their acts together. 

Sarahspangles

paul2louise said:

She wants all the 4k costs tho as executor. He solicitor is pushing for some of the 4k to be considered beneficiary. She wants him to pay his 2k and she gets her 4k from the estate. 

They say the best revenge is to live well. I hope you’re treating yourselves to a lovely break when all this is past.