intestate relative - how do I find out the size of the estate

[CryingAtMyParty]

A relative died intestate about 6 years ago. Her husband died a few months ago. They had no children, but he had children by a previous marriage. I think the rules are that her widower should have inherited £450K and half the remainder with her relatives getting the other half. But I cannot find out on any websites how I can go about finding out what her estate was worth; whether it was worth more than £450K. I hope that this doesn't sound grasping. Her parents inherited a fabulous amount, but she said they squandered most of it, so it's not like I know that there's not a pot of gold under her bed/in the bank. But I'm a widow with children too and in debt, so even a little would help ease the stress. That said, I don't want to cause familial bad feeling

Are you a child of hers? That is the only way you could inherit from her. If she died intestate but with children, her husband would inherit the first £250k and half the rest, with her biological or adopted children getting the rest. If you aren't her child, then you have no claim.

PS the above assumes you are In England or Wales, sorry.

Her siblings would be first in line if her parents have passed and she has no children.

You can get a copy of the will from the local probate office.

Actually - sorry - cut myself off a bit early there! It's possible for other relatives to inherit but it depends on the relationship, there is a heirarchy, depending on whether the deceased had brothers, sisters etc. I'm assuming you are a sibling or niece?

Anyway; to answer the question! Do you know who ended up administering the estate? You could enquire with the Treasury solicitor, who administers the estates of those who die intestate with no blood relatives (though they would have looked for blood relatives).

You can see any wills online now here. It seems to be £10 per document.

However, if he died intestate it will say that the value is not above a certain (set) amount, from what I remember reading in an article about it.

Doh! He died intestate. Sorry. I used to watch that show heir hunters. They went through all the ins and outs of who inherited when.

The husband gets £250k, plus half of the rest if there are surviving children, grandchildren or great grandchildren, but as she had no children, the husband gets everything.

here

Sound like it's probably not what you wanted to hear. Sorry.

Husband gets £450K plus half of any remainder. If there was any money left would be shared with any surviving siblings or their children if she had any. If your aunt had no siblings her husband would have inherited everything.

If he has died intestate it all goes to his children. Sorry not what you wanted to hear.

Thanks everyone. My sister and I are her cousins, there are no siblings nor children. Everyone was surprised that there wasn't a will, she was uber-organised and everything filed neatly (I didn't get those genes, sigh) and now that her husband has died, there is no-one to ask. After my cousin's death it would have been so 'wrong' to ask these questions of her widower, though with hindsight maybe we should have offered to help with some of the sorting out (he refused our first offer, but maybe that was out of politeness. I have a much better understanding of the processes of grief now.) My researches on the internet suggest that there is a familial hierarchy to inheritance beyond siblings/children before the law changed at the end of last year. But we never spoke of finances, I just popped round to see how he was doing, and he helped me a bit after my husband died, gave my children money at christmas that sort of thing. At the time I assumed that we weren't in her will. I'd no idea that no will existed. But now I would be interested in knowing the value of her estate (I don't even know whose name their house was in for example, I just guessed jointly). It's not a big deal because their house isnt worth anything like 450K. thanks everyone.

He could have destroyed a will. All a bit late in the day now.