Inheritance - when do you find out if you are named in a will?

[JammyGeorge]

My great aunt died 4 months ago. She had no children and her only living relatives were her nieces/nephews - one of whom is my DDad.

GA left a will and my uncle is executor but he has not informed any of the other nieces/nephews of the content of the will.

My DD isn't confrontational and doesn't want to ask about it. Other DN's have asked in passing and been told in a flustered way 'oh don't ask me about that it's all getting sorted out' type of reply.

Does anyone know how these things work? When do you find out if you are named as a beneficiary?

You can search for wills on gov.uk provided your uncle sent a copy in when he applied for probate.

Thanks Hont there's nothing on there.

I know it takes a long time to sort out people's estates but I just presumed if you'd been named the solicitor or executor would tell you by now? Or do they wait until after probate?

Many years ago my GA told my DD that she had done her will and it was to be split equally between them all but that was a long time ago and she may of changed her mind. He's just sat waiting patiently saying what will be will be but I'm thinking they surely can't be named or they would of heard by now.

jammy it can take a long time, depends how big estate is - if under the interhitance tax threshold about 6 weeks if straight forward - if over maybe 6 months! Then bills have to be paid - taxes first, exectutor would have to get hands on cash to pay behests etc.

If there's a property to sell it could take months and months. If there's shares, trusts and other complexities it could be years. If there was only £200 in a current account then probably a few weeks.

It's a 'how long is a piece of string' question.

But the reading of the Will shouldn't take long - that's what they need to be questioning, not the distribution of money.

Hi thanks for the replies.

Yes imperials got it. I understand that it will take a long time to sort everything out. Its when the content of the will is usually shared I'm confused about. Is there any obligation on the executor/s to inform beneficiaries or is it the norm to not say anything to anyone until it's all been finalised and sold off?

I can understand why people don't like to discuss this kind of thing I feel grabby just writing it on here!

Wills aren't normally formally 'read' though. That only happens in films!

The executor, with or without a solicitor, usually just gets on with applying for probate etc.

No, but 'read' is the term used, and that's done really quickly. The executor should then tell any beneficiaries what they're left.

There's no compulsion for the executor to tell the beneficiaries anything at all!