High Court figures show claims against executors for mishandling estates have tripled in the last year. One of the reasons for the dramatic rise is thought to be the increased use of friends or family as executors and another the increased use of DIY wills.
By definition a Will or Testament is a legal declaration by which a person names one or more persons as Executor(s) to manage his or her estate and provides for the distribution of his/her property at death.
Claims against executors arise when it is presumed that they are favouring one beneficiary over another, mainly because the Will has been misinterpreted or has not been drafted properly, but sometimes because an Executor is acting improperly. The costs of settling any kind of dispute through a Court can be very high, much higher than having a Will drafted by professionals.
Will writing is not regulated; meaning that anybody can write and prepare a will for someone else, so only clients of solicitors have any protection from a regulator should a Will be drafted negligently.
To protect your loved ones from the stress and potential costs of a badly prepared Will, have it professionally drafted and dealt with. Alternatively, if you are having problems with an executor and how a will is being handled, Samuels can assist you.
Samuels has a highly respected team dealing with work of this nature. Contact them now on 01271 308049 and speak to a reliable, professional team member.
