What to do when there’s a dispute with the executor or between beneficiaries
by Kidd Rapinet, April 23, 2021Friends and family often take on the role of executor of a Will. This...
If you feel someone’s estate is not being managed properly we can help you. Our solicitors are experts in resolving probate disputes including disagreements between beneficiaries, dealing with an executor who has mismanaged an estate, any dispute over the interpretation of the Will or value of the assets involved.
Probate disputes can be carried out if there is no Will and you want to challenge how an estate has been divided. If you were particularly close to someone and can see their legacy is not being handled in the way it should we can assist you.
We receive many questions in relation to Wills and Probate disputes. Below we answer a few. If you have a question or need expert advice, please do get in touch.
Anyone can contest a Will – normally it is carried out by a beneficiary or someone that expected to inherit and didn’t.
As soon as possible. However, you can contest a Will even if probate has been granted. If you used Kidd Rapinet to help you contest a Will we would write to the executor and other beneficiaries that the validity of the Will was being contested.
If you are challenging the validity of the Will or making a claim under the Inheritance Act then your claim will be against the executor of the Will and the beneficiaries. If the person died without a Will you can still make a claim against the beneficiaries that inherited under the rules of intestacy.
If a Will has been proved to be invalid and made by a professional, you can seek to make a professional negligence claim.
Disputing the Will of a deceased person’s estate isn’t particularly pleasant, but we can guide and advise you to help make the process easier.
Often if a trust or similar has been set up the testator may have added a ‘no contest’ clause to prevent any Will disputes. These clauses are often specific to a particular asset or person and usually made because the testator believes someone may try to make a claim for something they don’t want them to have.
Challenging a will is still possible and if the Will is found to be invalid then the ‘no contest’ will no longer apply. However, it is worth checking the terms of the clause because you could potentially lose part of the estate you have inherited if you make an unsuccessful challenge.
If a person dies without a Will (known as intestacy) – there are rules which set out who can inherit assets or an estate. Sadly, these rules may not reflect the deceased’s wishes.
Often in the case of no Will there can be disputes over an unmarried partner that hasn’t been provided for, perhaps it’s a child or a dependant that has not been provided for. In some cases, estranged partners have inherited an entire estate which can be very upsetting for the family.
If you need to challenge a Will or have a probate dispute, please get in touch with our team. We have many years’ experience in handling difficult situations and gaining a good outcome.
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Our solicitors will help you understand the common grounds for contesting a Will which include:
This means that the person did not have the mental capacity to make a Will. Anyone making a Will must not be suffering from any mental illness that affects their ability to make decisions, they must understand they are making a Will, be aware of the value of their estate and how it will be divided upon their death.
Anyone making a Will must be of sound mind and if there are changes to the Will towards the end of someone’s life when they have begun to lose mental capacity this is grounds for contesting a Will.
If a Will isn’t drawn up correctly this is called a lack of valid execution. A Will is not valid unless:
It is the responsibility of a solicitor or professional Will writer to ensure the Will is executed correctly. If the Will is not valid, there is a possibility of making a claim for professional negligence.
Are there suspicious circumstances e.g. a large gift to a person that helped the testator make their Will? If the person making the Will wasn’t entirely aware of all of the contents this is known as lack of knowledge and approval.
Undue influence can be a term you can use in a Will dispute. Undue influence in respect of a Will means when someone has pressurized or coerces the testator to make or change an existing Will. To successfully challenge a Will you will need to show that someone has directly benefited by manipulating the situation. In the case of undue influence you will need to prove that there is no other reasonable explanation for that person to have become a beneficiary.
Fraud or forgery in the case of a Will is rare but if it is proved the Will is invalid. Forgery is where a person fakes a Will in someone’s name and forges their signature whereas fraud is where someone has made the testator cut someone from their will by using false information about another beneficiary.
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