Five granddaughters launched a legal challenge against their late grandfather's will and lost. They argued that they merited a share equivalent to that of their deceased father rather than the £50.00 bequeathed to them each. The deceased grandfather, who passed away in 2020, had revised his £500,000 estate allocation to favour his children, citing minimal contact with his late son's granddaughters.
A ruling by a High Court Judge confirmed the validity of the contested will, affirming the grandfather's final wishes to give the majority of his estate to his children. The focus now shifts to the legal question of rightful inheritance; the granddaughters believed they deserved to inherit, and their grandfather agreed, however, not on the amount with the judgment favouring his children.
Have Your Say Write a Will
How can someone else decide what they deserve from an estate?
I'm sure that in most cases, parents want to leave most of their estate to their children to be shared equally. That, however, is the ideal and somewhat unrealistic. There are so many family dynamics; a will allows you to have your say and consider all your loved ones, have discussions with them and take the time deserved, to write a will. You want to avoid disappointments or for your will to be contested when you are not here to explain your decisions. Not that you should have to, but that's family!
Is an inheritance a gift or a right? I believe it is a gift, but without the help and guidance of a probate property lawyer, it could become a burden, consuming all your time and potentially resulting in fines if you get things wrong or late.
Writing a will is important to ensure that you have made your wishes clear and it has been drafted by a legal entity to protect your family and loved ones.
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In Today's Wills and Probate (March 8, 2024), the court upheld the Grandfather’s will favouring children over grandchildren.