DH left me NOTHING in his will – devastated and fuming

[jackmd5]

I’m honestly reeling and don’t know what to do. DH of 15 years passed away unexpectedly a few months ago. It’s been a horrible time, and I’ve been dealing with everything – funeral, DC, paperwork, the lot – while also grieving.

I’ve just found out that he left NOTHING to me in his will. Not a penny. Everything has gone to his two DC from his first marriage, who are both adults and very comfortable financially. Our joint savings, the house (which is in his name, long story), even his personal possessions – all left to them. I get that he wanted to provide for them, but to leave me, his WIFE, completely out??! I am beyond hurt and also absolutely panicking because I have no idea where this leaves me financially.

He made the will before we were married, and I stupidly assumed he’d updated it. I trusted him. Never in a million years did I think he’d do this to me. I’ve raised our DC, supported him through thick and thin, and now I’m left with nothing??

I feel sick. I don’t even know where to start with legal stuff – does anyone know if I can challenge this? I can’t believe he’s done this. I thought we had a happy marriage. Just looking at his face in old photos makes me want to scream.

Has anyone been through anything similar? What did you do? I feel so betrayed.

Not necessarily - I met my husband over a decade ago, he had children in their 30’s from his first marriage and then we have twins now aged 5. The only asset DH has (we rent, no car, no stocks, shares etc) is his pension account and the distribution of it is that I get 50% and the remaining 50% is split equally between his 4 children which we did based on the .gov advice on distribution of personal estate under intestacy rules for England & Wales. There is only 3 years between our ages and we’re in our 50’s.

Speak to a solicitor. Any will made before he married you is voided. In effect he has died intestate

Yeah. Sod his young dc. Just give it all to his adult dc who he's already paid to bring up.

Yes, the house was from his first marriage, and his older children did grow up there. He kept it after the divorce, and we’ve been living here for the last 10 years together.

The older kids haven’t really asked about the estate yet, but I’m sure they’ll be keen once they know about the will situation. They’ve been fairly quiet about everything so far, which I find a bit odd, but I think they might be waiting to see how things unfold. I’m just not sure how they’ll react if they find out the will is invalid and I’m potentially inheriting everything.

I guess I’ll know more once I speak to a solicitor, but it’s hard not to feel like I’m walking into a storm.

I work in wills. Yes, the will would have been revoked by your marriage. Anything joint automatically becomes yours (the savings). But with a value of £400,000, you’re not going to get everything if he has since not made a new will.

You need a solicitor to sort this out properly. His children will get something based on the figures you have provided.

This is a mess because unless there’s other funds, the children’s shares will have to come from the property.

You’re NOT going to inherit everything.

Same here.

WHY should they get nothing when it is THEIR father as well, and he clearly loved them enough to have left his estate to them.

This is why I would never remarry- I want my house &c to go to DC.

@jackmd5

to set your mind at some ease before you see a solicitor complete this link which will show the estate split between you and children

www.gov.uk/inherits-someone-dies-without-will

Thank goodness the older kids will get something.

Will the children inherit equally? Because two of them are young and will still need more support than grown adult children. Education costs, clothing, food, clubs...
It sounds a right mess, but I am glad the OP and their joint children aren't being left in the dust.

Yes they were - in their 20’s

So you think he wouldn't want to leave something to all his children? Bloody hell !

Well it’s obvious that nobody is dealing with ‘probate’ - you know, seeing that the will is invalid 🙄
Solicitors don’t apply for letters of administration when there are living family members and a Spouse to deal with it.
I ask again, how did this old will come to light?
If OP didn’t even know of the will then what did she think would happen?
So she didn’t look into dealing with intestacy?
Hmm.

Did I say that!? He wouldn't have wanted his older children to get nothing.

Why are so many people here trying to help OP take everything and cut his older children out entirely? If he's a widow that means what his ex wife owned and worked for will be given to a woman and children that are nothing to do with her.

Get to a solicitor and ask him or her to do a search to see if there is a more recently made will!

Sorry typo - he HAS children in their 30’s; they were in their 20’s when we met and are currently 36 & 31. I can’t edit post to correct typo

Maybe they're just giving you space and time to handle his death. Why are you assuming the worse from them? Is it maybe because that's what you would be planning?

She needs to do what's best for her and the younger kids.

DH is older than me but we have made wills that leave everything to each other. He has adult kids from a previous marriage who have more than us so they won't inherit until the second one dies otherwise one of us would be homeless because the money isn't there to give them.

I think you can some comfort in the fact that he may well have known that the marriage invalidated the Will. I must admit that I thought it was common knowledge.

In believe that you should contact the Probate Office, explain the situation and ask their advice. They are really helpful. As you are married you can use a Probate Solicitor, which will save you money.

It was their family home.

Not in Scotland it doesn't.
The original Will stands.

Also, if she inherits more or less everything, OP can make a will, leaving provision for her own children and her husband's children upon her death, so that both sets of children receive shares of their parents' estate.