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A year ago, my wife got cancer, the worse kind and was gone very quickly. We have no kids and we did not bother with wills. We assumed the UK law would be: the spouse would inherit everything in the absence of a will. It was our verbal wish too. We were married for 22 years.
It has been a hard year of adjustment and change. Her money and assets have been transferred to me.
Now my brother-in-law has just made things worse.
5 years ago, their father died and left them both 50% of his estate. It was a simple one page will giving them half each and it had no caveats or conditions.
Now B.I.L. wants my late wife's share. His argument is timing. He said his she had died before his father, he would have got 100%. He feels it is not right I now have half his money.
My wife and I had put that money away for our pension years, so it has not been spent. In her last few months we did talk about her wishes. She wanted me to have the money for my retirement and when I died, I was to have in my will – any money left would go to charity. I cannot prove this.
The only thing I can prove: 10 years ago, we both took out life insurance policies so if one of us died early, the other would not have to worry about money. Once she had received her inheritance, we cancelled both policies as they would now not needed, thanks to my late father-in-law.
She did not like her brother, they were not close and they hardly saw each other.
Should I fight it or just rollover?
Or has he even got a case?
Many thanks!
It has been a hard year of adjustment and change. Her money and assets have been transferred to me.
Now my brother-in-law has just made things worse.
5 years ago, their father died and left them both 50% of his estate. It was a simple one page will giving them half each and it had no caveats or conditions.
Now B.I.L. wants my late wife's share. His argument is timing. He said his she had died before his father, he would have got 100%. He feels it is not right I now have half his money.
My wife and I had put that money away for our pension years, so it has not been spent. In her last few months we did talk about her wishes. She wanted me to have the money for my retirement and when I died, I was to have in my will – any money left would go to charity. I cannot prove this.
The only thing I can prove: 10 years ago, we both took out life insurance policies so if one of us died early, the other would not have to worry about money. Once she had received her inheritance, we cancelled both policies as they would now not needed, thanks to my late father-in-law.
She did not like her brother, they were not close and they hardly saw each other.
Should I fight it or just rollover?
Or has he even got a case?
Many thanks!
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