Guidance, not legal advice

The handbook

A calm first map for moving from suspicion to facts before speaking to a solicitor.

Who is who?

  • Will-maker: the person who made the will. Lawyers may call them the testator.
  • Executor: the person named to administer the estate.
  • Beneficiary: someone receiving something under the will.
  • Gatekeeper: someone controlling visits, phone access, appointments, documents, or transport.
  • Will writer: the person or firm who prepared the will. Not every will writer is a solicitor.

What is not proof?

  • A will being unfair.
  • A person having dementia or being old.
  • A beneficiary being disliked by family.
  • An executor being slow to respond.
  • A solicitor having drafted the will.

First five steps

  1. Find the jurisdiction. England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have different routes.
  2. Find the status. Has probate, confirmation, or representation already been granted?
  3. Build a timeline. Dates matter: old will, illness, isolation, new instructions, signing, death, grant.
  4. Separate concerns. Capacity, influence, poisoned stories, signing, executor conduct, and family provision are different issues.
  5. Get specialist advice before accusations. Fraud and undue influence are serious allegations.