Find out what is in an estate

[jj1234]

My father passed away last year before he died he left his sister as the executor over his estate. Is their anyway to find out what was left in his estate if she will not tell us. I was not close to my father, but I believe what was his should be mine and my sister's but we have no way to know what was in his estate or even if he had life insurance.

[Barmaid]

You should request a copy of the Grant of Probate and Will from the Probate Registry (you get them from the York Sub Registry, Duncombe Place, York with a cheque for �5 payable to HMPG). The front of the Grant will tell you what the estate was worth. However, if it was not a taxable estate, the figure on the front of the Grant will not be terribly accurate.

The Will will tell you who inherits what.

Only if you are a beneficiary can you take further steps.

However, you may have a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 as a child of the deceased, so it may be worth taking legal advice.

[Adam28]

Given that you have already mentioned that you were not close to your father, what makes you think that you deserve what has been left?

As you are only interested in what cash you can get your hands on it doesn't take a brain surgeon to see why your father did not leave anything for you in the will.

[buildersmate]

A particularly unhelpful response given that this is posted in Law, not Chatterbank.