Suitable wording for letter from Executor to Beneficiaries
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Spanishomelette
Posts: 82 Forumite
I am acting as executor for my mother's elderly friend, who died just over a year ago. I applied for Probate and when it was granted I sold the friend's property and am now almost in a position to pay out bequests.
There are five pecuniary beneficiaries to be paid (and then two residuary beneficiaries) and they are all aware of their bequest in the Will. However, I want to make sure I do things properly (and cover myself if I'm honest!), so wonder if anyone could suggest suitable wording for a letter to each of them when I enclose their payment.
Presumably I should ask for acknowledgement that they have received their cheque? And what would the consequences be if they didn't acknowledge receipt? I only ask as a couple of them are quite elderly themselves and may not reply!
Thanks in advance for any help.
There are five pecuniary beneficiaries to be paid (and then two residuary beneficiaries) and they are all aware of their bequest in the Will. However, I want to make sure I do things properly (and cover myself if I'm honest!), so wonder if anyone could suggest suitable wording for a letter to each of them when I enclose their payment.
Presumably I should ask for acknowledgement that they have received their cheque? And what would the consequences be if they didn't acknowledge receipt? I only ask as a couple of them are quite elderly themselves and may not reply!
Thanks in advance for any help.
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Nothing fancy required. Just a polite letter stating the amount and enclosing the cheque for X amount with please could you sign the enclosed receipt. A SSAE would be a good idea.Spanishomelette wrote: »I am acting as executor for my mother's elderly friend, who died just over a year ago. I applied for Probate and when it was granted I sold the friend's property and am now almost in a position to pay out bequests.
There are five pecuniary beneficiaries to be paid (and then two residuary beneficiaries) and they are all aware of their bequest in the Will. However, I want to make sure I do things properly (and cover myself if I'm honest!), so wonder if anyone could suggest suitable wording for a letter to each of them when I enclose their payment.
Presumably I should ask for acknowledgement that they have received their cheque? And what would the consequences be if they didn't acknowledge receipt? I only ask as a couple of them are quite elderly themselves and may not reply!
Thanks in advance for any help.0 -
Thank you Yorkshireman99. Simple is good. I think I was trying to overcomplicate things!0
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We are simple folk in Yorkshire and don.t waste words!Spanishomelette wrote: »Thank you Yorkshireman99. Simple is good. I think I was trying to overcomplicate things!0 -
Your letter to the beneficiaries of the pecuniary legacies should confirm that the payment is from the Estate of xxx. I would also include that it is the full amount of the legacy left to them by xxx, if you are paying full amount.
Your letter to the residual beneficiaries should similarly confirm that the payment is from the Estate of xxx. I would be tempted to include a brief statement of account to confirm the total value of the estate (after costs), the total of the pecuniary legacies, the residual amount and the beneficiary's share of the residual amount.
You could send the letters via a "Signed for" Postal Service so that you have evidence of receipt. If any of the beneficiaries are local, you could hand-deliver the cheque and get a signed receipt, or even offer to take the beneficiaries to the bank to deposit the cheque as they are elderly. (The bank branch would probably give you a photocopy of the deposit slip if their customer asks them to do so).The comments I post are my personal opinion. While I try to check everything is correct before posting, I can and do make mistakes, so always try to check official information sources before relying on my posts.0 -
Residual beneficiaries are entitled to a full set of the estate accounts not just an extract.Your letter to the beneficiaries of the pecuniary legacies should confirm that the payment is from the Estate of xxx. I would also include that it is the full amount of the legacy left to them by xxx, if you are paying full amount.
Your letter to the residual beneficiaries should similarly confirm that the payment is from the Estate of xxx. I would be tempted to include a brief statement of account to confirm the total value of the estate (after costs), the total of the pecuniary legacies, the residual amount and the beneficiary's share of the residual amount.
You could send the letters via a "Signed for" Postal Service so that you have evidence of receipt. If any of the beneficiaries are local, you could hand-deliver the cheque and get a signed receipt, or even offer to take the beneficiaries to the bank to deposit the cheque as they are elderly. (The bank branch would probably give you a photocopy of the deposit slip if their customer asks them to do so).0 -
We plan to send payment by cheque & say something along the lines of cashing the cheque is agreement that the amount is correct.
Will be sending a full set of accounts, because we can, have nothing to hide, & they'll all be able to interpret what they're sent.Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it.0 -
All well and good but such a clause has no legal efffect.SevenOfNine wrote: »We plan to send payment by cheque & say something along the lines of cashing the cheque is agreement that the amount is correct.
Will be sending a full set of accounts, because we can, have nothing to hide, & they'll all be able to interpret what they're sent.0 -
Yorkshireman99 wrote: »All well and good but such a clause has no legal efffect.
We know, not bothered.
The 'legal effect' we'll fall back on is if ANY of 3 beneficiaries have one single negative word to say we'll dump it all in the lap of suitable solicitors, given that 1 of them was seriously misusing his POA over the deceased's finances for the 14 months the deceased was widowed until he died (had dementia), & he knows we know (now), so is busy feigning a nervous breakdown. The other 2 are his adult offspring, they'll know as well if any of them give us the slightest trouble.
Then he can answer for why, when income FAR exceeded expenditure every single month (to the tune of approx. £180 per week), the bank account was shrinking by the minute!
Families - who'd have them! :mad:Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it.0 -
Which poses the question as what steps have been taken to involve the OPG. I realise it may tricky but despicable acts should not be allowed to go unchallenged if at all possible.SevenOfNine wrote: »We know, not bothered.
The 'legal effect' we'll fall back on is if ANY of 3 beneficiaries have one single negative word to say we'll dump it all in the lap of suitable solicitors, given that 1 of them was seriously misusing his POA over the deceased's finances for the 14 months the deceased was widowed until he died (had dementia), & he knows we know (now), so is busy feigning a nervous breakdown. The other 2 are his adult offspring, they'll know as well if any of them give us the slightest trouble.
Then he can answer for why, when income FAR exceeded expenditure every single month (to the tune of approx. £180 per week), the bank account was shrinking by the minute!
Families - who'd have them! :mad:0 -
Thank you tacpot12. I will take your advice about saying it is the full amount left to them and will send letters by a trackable service.0
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