Would you want to know if family had cheated you out of an inheritance?

[CushionCover2]

For background my grandfather was very generous to me and my siblings, when he died I was late teens and my mum told me he died without a will therefore everything went to her and her brother, she gave me and my siblings about £1,000 each out of her inheritance. I don’t know the size of his estate but I’d estimate around £250k.

Today my uncle told me, as part of another story, that when he did probate for my grandfather they’d had to track down the witness to his will and it had been a bit difficult because they’d moved etc.

Later on I said offhandedly that I thought grandfather hadn’t left a will, did they find one in the end? And uncle denied there being a will and said they did probate without so I just left it and started talking about something else, but it got me thinking so I looked on the probate website and there is a probate certificate with will, I can pay £10 for a copy.

Should I request a copy and find out if I was supposed to inherit or leave it to keep good family relations? My mum has spent all the money so even if I was supposed to inherit I doubt there’s any money left to give me.

[Katescurios]

I would order a copy, is want to know if my mum had lied to me about it.

[Ginkypig]

I would.

Getting it doesn't mean you need to do anything with it.

[Storm4star]

It's weird you posted this as I am in a really similar situation. Unfortunately though my grandparents were not British so I have no real way of knowing. If I did have a way of knowing I would want to know. IMO someone who would steal from their children in thi s way are the lowest of the low. So hell yeah I would be looking and confronting if I could.

[AvocadoLovingMamaOfOne]

Personally, I would want to know.

[CushionCover2]

On the one hand I don’t think I want to know if my mum lied to me, but on the other hand if she did lie then there must be something in it to make it worth lying about.

[DeadGood]

Sorry, not following. Your uncle said he had to track down the witness of the will, but then later said there was no will?
Do you mean he was backtracking?

[greendale17]

Of course I would want to knkw

[RedHelenB]

Surely money would have been left to the children? Why do you think you were left something?

[CushionCover2]

@DeadGood yes, uncle said he had to trace where the witness to the will had moved to as there was a slight discrepancy with a date and the probate court needed the witness to sign something the say they’d witnessed the will on x date. Then when I brought it up later he said oh I remember now, we did probate without a will for your grandfather.

[AdaColeman]

Yes, I'd want to know what the will contained, £10 well spent I think.

[PositivelyPERF]

It never ceases to amaze me, how some parents will screw their own children over. If you don’t check, you will be forever wondering and that will create issues anyway. Go for it OP.

[Sciurus83]

Yes you should find out what sort of a person your mother really is. This information may be important to you in the future

[CushionCover2]

@RedHelenB I didn’t particularly think I’d been left something but I remember my mum making a big fuss at the time about there being no wil,l and then uncle mentioned a will then backtracked, and I can’t think of any other reason they’d lie about there being a will unless there’s something in it they didn’t want me to see.

[HerRoyalNotness]

Yes I would.

DHs GF died some years ago and had always said he’d leave his estate to him. In the end he didn’t even want his family notified when he died. No idea what happened to his estate and MIL doesn’t care to find out. I couldn’t not find out, I’m too much of a nosy bugged.

[jkl0311]

Find out!!! Not knowing will make you resent your mum!!

[gruffaloshmuffalo]

I'd want to know if it were me

[tiredmommaa]

I'd definitely want to know too, OP

[YaBasic]

It is very easy to use and order, but you need to download/print your soft copy as it will expire. It is closure I think. I ordered two probate documents a few years ago: one step parent had gone against his late wife's wishes and will was changed to favour only his family but we were estranged by then so fair enough. Another probate document confirmed probate was done without a will - interesting as it would then have meant DH was an automatic heir...but his half-sibling had made zero attempt to track him down. I think you end up knowing where you stood and whether you pursue/leave it/are hurt by it, at least you know.
Incidentally some grandparents do bypass a generation, divisive though that is, and can pass to grandchildren so it might well be that your Mum/Uncle have screwed you over...but as they inherit directly without a will I would be surprised about pursuing witnesses if not in their favour as they could have just destroyed the original, would have been easier!

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

Perhaps you should tell your mother what you know- the information your uncle gave you and your awareness of the will certificate online and allow her the chance to explain? It's not looking good.

[CushionCover2]

@YaBasic that was my thought, why not just destroy the will or say that the will only mentioned the two of them, I wouldn’t have questioned that, but why lie? Grandfather had an unusual name so it only took me 2 minutes to look online and see that there was a will.

[Billben]

I wouldn’t tell anybody what I was planning on doing and for the sake of £10, yes, I would definitely get a copy.

[IRefuseToAgree]

I would order it. I’d be too curious. (Hopefully you willlet us know what it says too )

[BodgingThisMumThing]

I’d order it! Hopefully you’ll come back and tell us OP!

[Extravagant]

Yes, get a copy (if only for your peace of mind). You don’t need to say anything to your mother unless you were left something.

[NorthEndGal]

I would order it, it would drive me round the twist not knowing what was in it.