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Original poster

What happens when step parent dies after other parent.

114 replies

Rainingdogsandcats · 03/02/2020 21:40

Complicated all of a sudden.

I just learned that my step mother died in the middle of January. We weren't in contact. She was married to my stepfather ( who brought me up from a few months old) who died 5 and a half years ago. She was only 58.

She had no other relatives at all.

I feel very sad that she could have been surrounded by grandchdren yet she died alone and myself and my sister have been searched on social media.

I have to contact the hospital tomorrow. She lived in our family home that belonged to my mum ( died 40 odd years ago) and dad. Paid off before she came along.

She was very very wealthy.

My questions are what will we be expected to do? Will we be able to access any insurance to pay for her funeral or anything? Will we even be able to do anything since we're not blood related?

It's going to be very complicated. I can only hope she's made a will so that it's easy to organise.

She wasn't very nice and wasn't nice to my dad.

OP posts:
Abibranning · 03/02/2020 22:59

It will all depend on if there's a will or you Dad left a will expressing his wishes for after her death etc. If there is fine. But if not you will only have a claim (I think) if she adopted you. However if you think you have a right to the inheritance and costs for a funeral. You will need legal advice.

Original poster
Rainingdogsandcats · 03/02/2020 23:04

We were adults when they married. I just want it to be straightforward to organise her funeral and her affairs. I'm really not very good at this kind of thing.

OP posts:
cuckooken · 03/02/2020 23:10

Someone that was married to your stepfather who you had no contact with? I really wouldn't expect you to have any involvement tbh.

LuluJakey1 · 03/02/2020 23:10

Do you know who your step-dad's solicitor was? Chances are hers is the same. The funeral costs should really come from her estate.

LuluJakey1 · 03/02/2020 23:12

If she has a will there will be executors named who should carry out her wishes as stated in the will and could organise her funeral.

CalleighDoodle · 03/02/2020 23:13

Has someone expressed that it should be you who organises it? Seems odd given the lack of relationship

Mumof1andacat · 03/02/2020 23:16

When did you last speak to her? Does she have biological children

notapizzaeater · 03/02/2020 23:16

Did she have friends that would know her wishes ? If she's wealthy presume she made a will ?

DillBaby · 03/02/2020 23:19

You are unlikely to be her next of kin or named as her executor if she has a will. So it’s really nothing to do with you.

Grobagsforever · 03/02/2020 23:19

But she's not your stepmother, she was just a woman married to your stepfather. Not your problem OP

AhoyMrBeaver · 03/02/2020 23:21

Who did the search to find you and your sister? None of it is your responsibility.

DillBaby · 03/02/2020 23:21

She lived in our family home that belonged to my mum ( died 40 odd years ago) and dad
Who owned the house? If your Dad owned it and left it to her, who did she leave it to? If she died without a will you’re unlikely to get it, it’ll go to her next of kin.

MintySpud · 03/02/2020 23:21

How is she your stepmother?

You didn't know or like her.

Leave it be.

Original poster
Rainingdogsandcats · 03/02/2020 23:25

She has no-one else and we were being looked for by the hospital that treated her. She had no friends. Barely left the house.

I would like to go to my dad's home as I imagine there will be personal effects of my dad's that I would like to have, photographs and such like.

What is likely to happen to the house? I was talking to my dad about buying it off him when he died suddenly.

She was an alcoholic and lived alone since my dad died 5 years ago. We spoke occasionally on the phone.

OP posts:
Original poster
Rainingdogsandcats · 03/02/2020 23:26

She has no next of kin.

OP posts:
Original poster
Rainingdogsandcats · 03/02/2020 23:26

My dad died intestate.

OP posts:
MrsJoshNavidi · 03/02/2020 23:31

Was she married to your father, or your step father?

your dad will have inherited the house off your mum, and your father's wife (your step mother) will have inherited it off your dad. Unless either of your parents made wills to the contrary.

cuckooken · 03/02/2020 23:32

You need to clarify OP

You DAD or your STEP DAD?

Original poster
Rainingdogsandcats · 03/02/2020 23:33

Technically my stepfather. He met my mum when I was 8 months old, sister was 2.

OP posts:
Original poster
Rainingdogsandcats · 03/02/2020 23:33

I always called him dad. Sorry for confusion

OP posts:
DillBaby · 03/02/2020 23:33

If your stepdad died intestate then she presumably inherited everything. But unless she left a will you won’t get anything or be able to handle her estate. It’ll all go to her next of kin. Any blood relative of hers, however distant, has more of a claim than you do. You really need to find out if she left a will.

Soontobe60 · 03/02/2020 23:34

The funeral will be paid for from her estate. If she did not leave a will the estate will have to go through probate. If she was married to your step father you will have no claim on her estate.

cuckooken · 03/02/2020 23:34

Technically my stepfather.

There is no 'technically' about it.

BillieEilish · 03/02/2020 23:35

See a lawyer, I'm sure they'll arrange photographs and keepsakes for you.

Main estate will go to her next of kin, Great Aunt Maude etc. Or government.

Singlenotsingle · 03/02/2020 23:37

That's complicated. If df died without a Will, she would have inherited (provided they were married). Then when she died it would go to any blood relatives she had. If none, it would go to the Crown. (If they weren't married and he had no Will, it would go to his children. Depending on the value). Not your responsibility to organise or pay for the funeral.