Hi, just wondering if anyone has any experience with what to do when a beneficiary has potentially maliciously broken or sold goods bequeathed in a will?
The person in question is my late father's widow (not my mother) who was originally appointed executor, but has recently renounced her role as executor in order to contest my father's Will. With me now being appointed as Executor.
She was originally provisioned for in the Will by way of living in my father's house until she died paying all expenses (with the house being transferred into his children's names), but has now decided to contest that provisioning, believing that she is entitled to 50-100% of the deceased estate (even though there was only approx 30% of the original value of the house owing when my mother left my father- so they had paid the majority off before she was on the scene).
In the Will, there were certain items also bequeathed to his children - of little monetary value to the estate, but which hold great sentimental value to his children. All of which were at his house whilst he was on life support and prior to his death (we all saw them), and now she is claiming that the majority of the goods have been stolen or broken before he died.
NB. She does have a drugs and alcohol problem (no, I promise I am not sensationalising), and we are worried that she has sold them or potentially broken them in one of her many rages since his death.
As the Executor of a will, what can I do?
Thanks in advance.
The person in question is my late father's widow (not my mother) who was originally appointed executor, but has recently renounced her role as executor in order to contest my father's Will. With me now being appointed as Executor.
She was originally provisioned for in the Will by way of living in my father's house until she died paying all expenses (with the house being transferred into his children's names), but has now decided to contest that provisioning, believing that she is entitled to 50-100% of the deceased estate (even though there was only approx 30% of the original value of the house owing when my mother left my father- so they had paid the majority off before she was on the scene).
In the Will, there were certain items also bequeathed to his children - of little monetary value to the estate, but which hold great sentimental value to his children. All of which were at his house whilst he was on life support and prior to his death (we all saw them), and now she is claiming that the majority of the goods have been stolen or broken before he died.
NB. She does have a drugs and alcohol problem (no, I promise I am not sensationalising), and we are worried that she has sold them or potentially broken them in one of her many rages since his death.
As the Executor of a will, what can I do?
Thanks in advance.
