Inheritance - AIBU to have everything crossed for a windfall?

[UnravelMyMind]

I have a namechanged for this because it may get very identifying...

Early last year my parental grandmother died. She left a small amount of money to me, and the rest of her estate to her two sons, one of whom is my dad . My dad hurriedly left the country 12 years ago to escape from HMRC so his share of the money was to be kept by his brother, who was going to send him an allowance every year.

In October my dad died of cancer, very suddenly. Neither me or his brother had had a lot to do with him for the previous 10 years, very long story but basically he's a compulsive liar) although we did go out and see him in the country he was living a few weeks before he died.

His brother has now sold his mothers house and so has doubled the amount of money he was due to inherit because he will no longer have to share it with his brother.

I do not feel comfortable asking his brother about this, hence I am driving myself mad thinking about it and hoping that it will occur to him to share some with myself as it's money he would not have had if it was not for the death of my father / his brother. Not all of it, it's an extra £150,000, but at least something...? £30k for example ?

[ChasedByBees]

ladystarkers
Wow just wow. Op its not your money

I absolutely do not get this attitude. If OP is the person that money should legally go to (we don’t know that’s the case but it could be) then why on earth shouldn’t she explore it?

[Pickleypickles]

When my mums sister died 6 weeks before my nan, the inheritence still got split 5 ways (she had 5 kids) but the fifth that wpuld of gone to my aunty went to her kids instead. This isnt what any of the family wanted (including my nan) but as there was no will we didnt have a choice so i would imagine ot will work the same for you.
We did get a snotty letter from my aunties kids written by a solicitor that we recieved 3 days after she had died so they mist of gone on the day and got it written but ultimately it would of been theres anyway.

[agbnb]

So, your uncle has sold your dad's house?
That indicates he's the named Executor of your dad's will?
Or has he appointed himself as no will was left? (But how can you have "sorted" the paperwork?)
And if there is no will, the jurisdiction where your dad died may have intestacy laws stating how his estate is distributed by any Executor.

This is extremely confusing/not following the strict rules about how things are done legally!

[UnravelMyMind]

I have a copy of my grandmothers will. I cannot remember off the top of my head, but I think it said that her estate is shared equally between her two sons but my uncle was the one who was in charge of distributing the money. Something like that anyway! She knew about the situation with the inland revenue so it was written in a way to get around that

[UnravelMyMind]

My uncle sold his mothers house, not my dad's house

[UnravelMyMind]

ChasedbyBees I suspect that response was because I posted in AIBU more than anything else!

[MrsNacho]

I imagine he will raise it with you face to face on Saturday.

Sounds like a tricky situation.

[MinorRSole]

Good luck with the meeting on Sunday, I hope your uncle does the right thing. I don't know your story but going by the comments from a poster who does it sounds like this would be counter acting a lot of negatives from your past - in which case I'll keep everything crossed for you

[Aridane]

Sounds like it should be going to HMRC!

I don't think you can rely on a verbal agreement designed to avoid tax to found a claim for inheritance

[agbnb]

Pickleypickles inheritance laws in the UK are clear.
We all have an obligation to make a will if we want our wishes complied with.
It makes it so much harder on relatives when people are too lazy/irresponsible/immature to sort it out before.
Sorry for your loss.

[UnravelMyMind]

Also, I have not said that I would want all of the money. My dad ripped off his brother quite a few times, along with myself, so I actually think that he is very deserving of a large portion. I would just be over the moon if it's occurred to him, without me having to ask or hint, to share some with me!

[Penfold007]

OP you could search here: probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills for a copy of your grandmother's will.

[UnravelMyMind]

Minor thank you! X

[Butterymuffin]

Is your uncle a decent person? He may share with you if so. But I'd start looking at the legals and also be prepared that HMRC may end up with it.

[UnravelMyMind]

I have my own copy of the Will

[JapaneseBirdPainting]

Please see a solicitor. They will be able to help, or at the very least tell you what you will need to find out obtain to find out more.

I hope it goes as well for you as it possibly can (and very sorry for your loss).

[UnravelMyMind]

I think my uncle is very much a decent person. However he is also not very proactive. It is hard not to sound rude, but he is the kind of man who has a very firm routine and doesn't do anything remotely adventurous. Steady is the word that my dad used for him a lot. I also don't think he is terribly bright, and I realise that sounds bad!

[burnoutbabe]

I am pretty sure that if you have been adopted, you won't be able to get anything under intestacy rules as you are not their child anymore for those rules.

So it would go to your brother (if he was not also adopted) and if not him, them probably the surviving brother (ie your uncle)

[UnravelMyMind]

I haven't got a brother. It's my uncle who has the cash. I'm an only child.

[FrappucinisingWithTheEnemy]

Wow just wow. Op its not your money.


Lets ban "wow just wow" please?


Also, yes, it was he dad's so now it should be hers.

[DrMarthaJones]

If you were adopted by someone else your bio father is not anything to do with you legally, so you would be entitled to nothing without a will naming you as a beneficiary.
Sorry.

[Efferlunt]

Appreciate you are blameless in this but I hope the taxpayers get what they are owed first...

[TheDailyMailIsADisgustingRag]

See a solicitor.

I imagine hmrc would like to have their money from your dad’s estate.

If it wasn’t for that, I’d say the money was most likely yours and any siblings’, seeing as your dad didn’t leave a will.

[pokeitwithastick13]

Go and see a solicitor, if your dad has died intestate then there are rules to who inherits.

When our Grandad died, my auntie (as the only living child) assumed she got the full estate and even tried to apply for the probate wholly in her name, all the while telling us "i'll sort you out , don't worry". Sort us out? With what we were legally entitled to? Thanks!

Luckily I know the rules of probate (having dealt with my mothers) and was able to get it sorted but she could have easily cut us out.

[Gingernaut]

Adoption means you have no automatic claim to your biological family's estate unless you're specifically mentioned.

If your father left no will, you are not entitled to claim an inheritance from him.