Executor Not Even Handed

[howerski]

My grandmother died some 20 years ago, and my father was executor of her will. I have recently discovered that whilst she left us, heer grandchildren equal relatively small gifts of money, my father, the executor, decided to give my sister more than her 3 brothers less, as she "needed it more than us". Don't get me wrong. The sums are relatively small, and I wouldn't begrudge my sister anything. However, I am fuming at my father for doing this in an underhand way, and subverting the wishes of my grandmother.
Note we have been estranged from our father since childhood, so there is background here. However, my brother also felt the same way as myself. We feel like we would like to teach him a lesson if we can !
All impartial advice welcomed !

[sandyRoe]

Letting sleeping dogs lie would probably be the best action.

[factor-fiction]

Can I check udsterstand this. Let's suppose your grandmother left 5 grandchildren £1000 each. The executor then decides to give your sister £2000 and give the rest of you £3000/4= £750 each.
I know the figures may be different but is this something like what happened?

[bednobs]

have to say i completely agree. If you don't begrudge your sister the money then just leave it alone, take the moral high ground, and move on.

[Barmaid]

I think you may have a problem with limitation. It really depends on the facts. If it was a straightforward gift of £5,000 between my 4 grandchildren and you were all over 18, the limitation period is 12 years.

If the estate was complicated, or the gift was in trust or the estate still hasn't been administered I might give a different answer.

[howerski]

Yes Factor30 it was something very similar. The stipulation was that the money was to be divided equally. I know that this is how she felt about us. She did not take favourites - she told us all privately that we were her favourite grandchild ! What I don't know is whether other grandchildren (e.g. my fathers current family) also got differential tratment.

[howerski]

Thank you for all your advice. It has concentrated my mind. I think I will move on and take the moral high ground. However, I will not let sleeping dogs lie. I am going to tell him what I think of him (and not just about this).
Cheers. I hope I can give you lot some advice sometime.

[cathfromsaron]

hopefully you have prospered despite this?

ditto let sleeping dogs ...

cath x

[boxtops]

well done, howerski - retain your dignity!

[cathfromsaron]

ahh! if you are going to criticise make sure you tell him how he can go right too!

[Peter Pedant]

Howerski I am sure that you should let sleeping dogs lie
Are you sure that this is what occurred ?
Someone just saying Oh I got more than you isnt really proof
and even less probative is 'oh I got less than you'

My mother died in 1994 and I cant be certain without reading the docs what the house went for. Equal amount gross but we all paid different tax [- not IHT]

[howerski]

Yes. I am sure about the different amounts. My brother has actualy sent off for a copy of the will, partly because of this, and partly because we are building a family tree on Ancestry. So I am not going to jump the gun.