My husbands elderly mother died recently after a long Alzheimers decline. Her husband died 20 years ago and she remade her will in the month following his death. She was unused to dealing with her own affairs but was accompanied to the solicitors by her two brothers, who we now know were made executors of her will. She has six children. At the time there was “bad blood” between my husband and most of his siblings, a situation exacerbated by emotions running high and of course grief as their dad’s death had been sudden. They are all on reasonably good terms these days, thankfully.
Anyway, my mother in law’s will will now be dealt with. My husband is very apprehensive that one or two of his siblings may have influenced their mum to leave her estate unequally, and if he were to inherit less than the others, he would find it very stressful. We do not need any inheritance but of course any would be welcome. But he would be devastated if it was known throughout the wider family that he had been disfavoured.
My question is, is it usual for a solicitor dealing with probate of a will, to write to each beneficiary and let him/her see the content and terms of the will, or is it only at the last stage they are advised only the amount they will receive, and the amount to other beneficiaries are kept private? In some ways I would prefer he didn’t know!
