Parents wills

[Itsuptome]

Hi hope you can help. My father died nearly 2 years ago and left a will, though I havent seen it, but I believe everything was left to my mother in trust for their 4 adult children. 1 year after my fathers death my mother sadly passed away too, which has resulted in a probate process being started. I'm confused as my fathers will was never read, I do feel that perhaps certain aspects of his will may have not sat well with other members of the family and therefore his will may have been hidden or disregarded. I have contacted the solicitor who is dealing with the probate to discuss my parents wills and was informed that she was only dealing with my mothers. How can her will have probate granted when nothing seems to have been sorted with regard to my fathers. I have asked my siblings but have been told that my fathers will is sorted as he left everything to my mum. I know the deeds for the house were in joint names which subsequently went into my mothers sole name. My father was a very astute man who always invested his money wisely from a very young age, when I have asked about his investments etc, I was told there wasnt any, which I find very strange. Could my siblings have cashed these in and hidden it all having talked my mother into signing them over, or would there be a legal process to be followed, after my fathers death.

[des8]

Have you searched to see if your father's will was ever granted probate? /www.gov.uk/search-will-probate

[des8]

Have you searched to see if your father's will was ever granted probate? /www.gov.uk/search-will-probate

Probate would have been necessary to transfer stocks and shares if they were held in your father's name, unless the company articles provide otherwise

[Itsuptome]

Hi yes I have checked and searched to see if my fathers will was granted probate, and I couldnt find any evidence that it had been. I was told that it hadn't gone or needed to go to probate because my mother was the named beneficiary, although I thought that as it was further left in trust for us via my mother, it should have been. We ve never had a reading of my fathers will either.

[twohoots]

Reading of Wills is very rare these days. My friend was a legal secretary all her working life and just before she retired they had such a reading of a very elderly person’s will and all the family trooped in for it. It was only the second reading she had ever encountered in her working life. Maybe others on here know different though.

[des8]

twohoots is right. Reading of wills only takes place in Hollywood productions!

Regarding implementation of the will, even though the whole estate was bequeathed to your mother, it is still possible that a grant of probate should have been obtained.
However if your parents owned everything jointly there might not have been any necessity, as the estate might have been quite small.

Without sight of the will and estate inventory and accounts (if any were prepared) I doubt you'll discover what happened.

I would suggest you attempt to have a frank and open conversation with your siblings about your concerns.