You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I don't think that the OP's Mother should have cleared the house as that should be dealt with by the Executors of the estate. It is the Executors responsibility to ensure that all assets are distributed as stated in the will and the OP's Mother has been put into a position where she had the opportunity to take a few "mementos" that make up what is in effect the property of the RSPCA and The Priest once probate has been granted.
With the info that the OP has provided in mind, I think that many people would feel his Mum was not the worst person ever if she did help herself to a trinket or twelve.
With that said I would definitely take some advice regarding the RSPCA and the Priests possible involvement in the drafting of the will. Especially if it was left directly to the Priest rather than the church.
It’s been my experience with dying people that ‘putting their affairs in order’ is actually quite high on their list of priorities
...and therefore you have been fortunate.
We’re in this odd state where our mother has been in a care home with dementia for almost five years.
My 83yr old dad moved in to private sheltered accommodation and we can see they tried to encourage their residents to ensure they had a Will in place.
When he passed away a couple of years ago we found the documents, all blank, in his bed-side drawers. So the fairly tangible assets have transferred over to mum and the local authority are and will continue to hoover it up until there is a de-minimus level of £s remaining.
I’m sure that’s not what either of them would have wished for with children and grandchildren but lack of action has meant the council have access to cover care costs.
OP I would consider a chat with a friendly legal expert, the executor or even the Citizens Advice Board. Just to reassure yourself that it was all in order, and the Will was relevant in terms of date and also could not have been manipulated in any way (perhaps when vulnerable). It has happened before sadly.
In English law you have no right to be looked after as a dependent in a will. There are exceptions where the state would otherwise have to provide care for you that was set as case law. An exception for hardship can also be accommodated. But if you are already comfortably off, then there is no reason to expect anything.
My sister has acted in this area for charities, and yes they will defend their position.
Make a will whilst you are still competent. Make certain it is witnessed appropriately by two non-benefactors. Be fair. My mother left her estate to me, my sister, my two step sisters and the children of my dead sister. Equally. I bought a trike and a great 50th birthday party!
My grandad's estate went to his 'new' wife of just a few years. Nothing went to his 3 children, and she was never seen again - she upped and offed with the cash.
The problem is that many charities (the RSPCA included) spend a dis-proportionate amount of money on paying salaries, paying for nice offices etc and very little of it goes back into helping those in need.
Utter tosh, charity finances are very publicly available, go read some and see how much gets put back into the charitable side of the charity.
Wwf has a very nice £5 000 000 sustainable office where they grow bamboo indoors
Bet those hungry pandas in China see the benefits on a daily basis
Yep, as above. If you drew the venn diagram of "people who believe charities are wasteful, self serving bureaucracies " and "people who contribute their time and/or resources to helping others" there would very little overlap. See also "People who believe we should help those in need at home before sending any overseas aid" and "People who actively try and help people at home".
Even the % spend of a charity on admin can be misleading. A horribly under resourced charity that can achieve a low % admin spend might be horribly wasteful because they're not properly managing the money they do spend to get the best result.
This is not a personal attack on you. Its an argument against a system that keeps rich families rich.
I am not rich. I just managed to get a slightly bigger house with a garden. I still have a large mortgage. My parents had nothing at all - my dad had to get an apprenticeship at 16 because he was the oldest male in the family when my granddad died so he could support the rest of his family. The modest sum I received was their effort at having a bit more than nothing.
Great aunt was looked after for years by my mum, mainly, with my dad helping out. None of my aunts / uncles saw or helped her much. She never married, had no kids. We used to see her at our house regularly, quite a lot during her latter years. Owned her own house, had a fair amount of savings. She left everything, the lot, in a last minute will change to the RSPCA.
My uncle died a few years back. Children of the first marriage got squat, nada, not a thing. New wife (of about 18 months, married whilst quite ill) had the lot. She was never seen since.
C'est la vie.
I will leave most all I have to my boys, with a small amount to my niece/nephew. I honestly believe the next generation will need all the help they can get.
I am not rich.
[tj] oh yes you are[/tj] 😉
I am not rich. I just managed to get a slightly bigger house with a garden. I still have a large mortgage. My parents had nothing at all – my dad had to get an apprenticeship at 16 because he was the oldest male in the family when my granddad died so he could support the rest of his family. The modest sum I received was their effort at having a bit more than nothing.
Yes and my point was whether it's a "bit more than nothing" or the Duchy of Cornwall it's not a level playing field compared to those that actually do inherit nothing.
Yes and my point was whether it’s a “bit more than nothing” or the Duchy of Cornwall it’s not a level playing field compared to those that actually do inherit nothing
Agreed, although my argument was against *everything* going to the Treasury. I do agree that there should be a tax on inheritances (let's call it an inheritance tax), but I don't agree that wealth should be 100% reset for every generation. As I said above, my parents started with nothing, we had very little growing up but on their death they had a little something (the sale of their house) to share between three of us.
The Napoleonic code in France makes things easier - everybody gets a share - all children and spouse,
it is very difficult to disinherit, disadvantage , if you are alive you cannot gift all or part of your estate to favour an individual without tax and inheritance implications.
There are downsides - large families end up having to sell large properties they cannot share, but they do share the results of the sale.
Im very late to this discussion, however, one point, you are entitled to request a copy of the will, this will give you dates etc of when it was made and or changed.
As others have suggested, having a free 30 minute chat with the solicitor regarding the will if it was made/changed within the last year is a good idea.