Getting information on a will

[Mister Fixit]

Hi

 

I am a beneficiary to my older half-brother's will, as are my children, and my full younger brother.

He lived in Spain, but all personal beneficiary details had to be sent to a Trustee in Jersey.

 

Now all I have had is a few emails from his widow telling me I'm a beneficiary and to send various documents to the Trustees in Jersey.

 

I don't know if the will was made in the UK, Spain or Jersey, but I suspect the UK.

 

My kids and I are obviously interested to know what we may be getting, and I understand that a beneficiary is entitled to copy of any will they benefit from.

 

However, I don't want to disturb his still-grieving widow by asking point-blank (and he was always very secretive anyway),

but is there a central registry in the UK where I could find out

- assuming the will was lodged in in the UK of course?

 

Or would I have to contact every likely Probate Registry to see if it had been lodged in their area?

[Conniff]

For want of somewhere more suitable to move you Mister Fixit, I have in the put you in the Non-Retail subforums General Consumer Issues dection.

[Mister Fixit]

Thanks for moving wherever was appropriate - I wasn't sure where to post. ;-)

[citizenB]

http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/probate/copies-of-grants-wills

 

Scroll down the page linked above - you will see a heading "Will Finder".

 

That might help.

[honeybee13]

Hello there.

 

Has probate actually been granted please? I'm not sure you'll find much until it is.

 

My best, HB

[ericsbrother]

where you are domiciled and where you reside are different so I would reckon that the will is english juristiction. Your problem is the trustees arent telling you much and you are entitled to know the will's contents. Chances are there is another trustee as anyone with complex finances wouldnt leave it all down to 1 person, even if the trustee you know about is a law firm. You are going to have to ask his widow if the trustee isnt forthcoming, it is a nonsense to think it too soon, imagine how she feels having to wait for you to make a move so she can get on with getting her income and assets sorted out as she probably receives the residue of his estate rather than a fixed bequest like you. The longer you wait the more the trustees rack up their costs.

[Mister Fixit]

Hello there.

 

Has probate actually been granted please? I'm not sure you'll find much until it is.

 

My best, HB

 

I'm not really sure - it's all very secretive. I was just told I was receiving a bequest and where to send my confirmation of ID - to Osiris Trustees in Jersey. I've hear nothing more, other then sis in law emailed to say the Trustees had received my paperwork and she hoped they would 'dispense soon'.

[Mister Fixit]

where you are domiciled and where you reside are different so I would reckon that the will is english juristiction. Your problem is the trustees arent telling you much and you are entitled to know the will's contents. Chances are there is another trustee as anyone with complex finances wouldnt leave it all down to 1 person, even if the trustee you know about is a law firm. You are going to have to ask his widow if the trustee isnt forthcoming, it is a nonsense to think it too soon, imagine how she feels having to wait for you to make a move so she can get on with getting her income and assets sorted out as she probably receives the residue of his estate rather than a fixed bequest like you. The longer you wait the more the trustees rack up their costs.

 

I'm NOT 'not making a move' - I've done all I've been asked to do. I'm waiting SOMEONE, somewhere, to make a move by supplying me with either 1) a copy of the will and/or 2) any monies due + a copy of the will. I agree that no-one is telling me much, and that concerns me. My half-brother was very secretive about money, and I suspect he left instructions not to provide copies of his will, but of course I and my children are legally entitled to a copy. I'm also concerned that his widow has not offered to provide a copy, and specifically asked me NOT to contact the Trustees or do anything which would increase her bill.

Edited June 29, 2013 by Mister Fixit

[assisted blonde]

although you have been asked not to contact the trustees there is no reason why you cant at your own expense if you are that worried about the contents of the will, you can look up a will that has been granted probate online

[Mister Fixit]

Thanks, I've sent off to the Probate office in Leeds to see if a copy has been lodged since his death in February.

 

So, how do I look a will up on-line?

[honeybee13]

Hello again.

 

I would start with the Probate office. There's some information on their website that might give you some clues. I've never looked up a recent will myself.

 

https://www.gov.uk/find-persons-will

 

HB

[honeybee13]

Also information here.

 

http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/probate/copies-of-grants-wills

 

HB

[assisted blonde]

just,put probate office into your search engine and it will ask you for names etc date of death a nd it will doit for you, think it costs a few [pounds for the full will but its quick and easy

[Mister Fixit]

Many thanks all. See my post number 10, where I say that I have already sent off the appropriate form to the Leeds probate Registry.

 

However, I see a problem. My sister in law is the executrix and was obviously told to play things close to her chest. He was always very secretive about money.It seems he set up a Trust in Jersey, which do not have to account for themselves, and in fact he left a Letter of Wishes, which Google says that basically he can make any number of letters about disposition of the Trust, one for each beneficiary if he wants. Often they are used to tell the Executor or Trustees how he wants his money disposed of, and Letters of Wishes are not only not legally binding (so leave a lot of discretion to the Trustees) but don't have to be published in the public domain.

 

I told you he was secretive! I don't see a chance of seeing what he finally got up to without directly confronting his widow which could result in me getting nowt as she has all the discretion! She's a very elderly, crusty ex-school mistress who still speaks to everyone as though they are 15! ;-)

[honeybee13]

It sounds as if you may need to be patient then...

 

My second link was for the central wills registry in London, rather than the Probate Office in general, fwiw.

 

HB

[Mister Fixit]

That's exactly what I've done - followed the instructions in the web page mentioned and sent off to the Leeds Registry.

 

I'm in the UK in 2 weeks, and expect to be in London for a few days at some stage - I know the Central Registry at First Avenue House intimately after a prolonged battle over one of my children ... They were useless on that score.

[assisted blonde]

look at it like this does it really matter what you get? your half brother has died, you will get something do you really want to upset everyone ? I would leave it for now, stop worrying what you don't have you don't miss, it honestly isn't worth the hassle and if you are accommodating you might do better in the long riun

[Mister Fixit]

You don't know my younger brother!

[assisted blonde]

True but at the end of the day its only money, nice if you have it but have it but as it want yours to start with I don't see the point in the aggro.

[Mister Fixit]

Eh? What dos that all mean? In English please ...!

 

I'm not starting the aggro, just responding as I feel is proper and fit. Maybe I'm wrong, but I will not be denied what is supposed to be mine. Bloody hell, all I've done is made a request for a copy of any extant will. What's wrong in that ...?

 

And as I've already said, it seems to be a private Jersey-based trust which is completely opaque, so why should I not eliminate the possibilities?

[steampowered]

Why don't you just ask the trustee for a copy of the will and a copy of the letter of wishes?

[assisted blonde]

agree with above just ask they can only say no, perhaps aggro is the wrong word what I mean is don't get het up about it yet, wait they have asked for proof of your id so wait and see they may be ok and give you what is you have been left

[Mister Fixit]

Because I have been asked by the widow not to contact the trustees or do anything that would incur further expenses for her. I think that is the ostensible reason, but I also think that the REAL reason is to maintain the secrecy surrounding the trust. He'd become very paranoid and quite disturbed in the years before he died. As she appears to have total control of the monies, I think if the Trustees informed her that I'd asked for a copy, she'd hit the roof and perhaps modify the amount I may get.

[citizenB]

I think you should simply curb your curiosity until such times as whoever sends you a letter enclosing a cheque !

[steampowered]

Asking for a copy of the will and letter of wishes is pretty reasonable. The trustees should have these documents close to hand so I can't see how it would incur costs. In any event costs would come from the estate not from her personally. Alternatively she can provide a copy of the documents.

 

It sounds unlikely she would "hit the roof" over such a minor issue. Its a perfectly reasonable request and she must have the documents close to hand. I don't know the family but my guess would be that you are overthinking this. I imagine she is more pre-occupied with the loss of a family member and the stress of administering an estate than whether she should scan a document. No doubt the other beneficiaries will also be asking for a copy.