22BUK

As title really.

The good old days, when the solicitor used to read out the will to a gathering of family and friends have long gone.

Isn't it nowadays a duty of executors to contact the beneficiaries?

Thanks in advance for any helpful replies!

OllyK

Well how it is working for us, is the executor has provided the solicitor will all the details for the people named in the will. Once the estate is wound up (still going 18 months on), the solicitor will get in touch. I assume if it isn't purely monetary, i.e. you get some family heirloom, then the solictor will contact you sooner as part of the winding up of the estate process. Seems the cash share of the estate is dealt with at the end from whatever is left.

HTH

Snug Rhino

Its always been the executors job, and many people have their solicitor acting as one (in the past many more had them as the only sensible place to get your Will done was with a solicitor in the first place)

Hence the meeting with the soicitor still happens, although was much more common in the past.

To add - in ollys example the executors have got the solicitor to do their job. If an executor wants they can do it themselves.

Shark Man

Genrerally, its all down to executor to handle everything. Obviously things differ if one appoints a solicitor to handle it all (cough, throw money away ). Obviously, if its a house, then solictors will need to have a little part to play involve handling the deeds (although I think there are ways around that too).

As an executor myself. Once the assets were released, I sent the beneficiaries a letter, saying what they had and cheque will follow soon....but I did all that 12months after the death..couldn't do it any sooner as the assets were not available and I didn't want people banging on my door saying "Where's me money!?"