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I have heard informally that I am a beneficiary in the Will of someone who died recently. Who should be notifying me formally?
I have heard informally from somebody who heard it from somebody else that I am one of the beneficiaries of the Will of a lady who died two months ago. Who should be giving me offical notification, what should they tell me, and when?
It is the duty of the Executors to identify beneficiaries of an estate. They should be notified as soon as possible but it depends on the extent to which they are entitled as to what information they are given about the estate.
If you are a residuary beneficiary then you should be given a copy of the Will and, once known, details of all the assets and liabilities in the estate. If Solicitors are acting in the administration then you may also be told what their costs are likely to be. If you are a pecuniary or specific legatee (i.e. you've been left a set sum of money or an item of property) then you are only really entitled to see the part of the Will which details your gift. You will not necessarily be given details of the value of the estate nor the amount of any acting Solicitors' costs.
In either case, you can only expect to receive a payment once the estate is in funds, and this can take many months.
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