Our Estate Planning advocates are here to help you. If you need to contest a will, contact us for expert estate planning advice.
What Does Contesting A Will Involve?
After a loved one has passed away, the following months can be fraught with decisions that include reading of a will, interpreting wishes, arranging their funeral and managing affairs or assets left behind.
Unfortunately, in some cases where a will has been written, disagreements on its contents can occur. Disputes usually happen because one person feels that they’ve been inadequately accounted for or that there’s a problem with the legality of the will itself.
Contesting a will is the process of taking legal action to investigate if there’s an issue. It can take some time to contest and at an already sensitive time, this process can cause extra distress.
Who Can Contest A Will?
- The deceased’s spouse
- A former spouse (the spouse must have remained unmarried)
- Children and step-children
- Partner (they must have lived with the deceased for 2 or more years)
- Any other dependents
If you would like to contest a will, it’s crucial that you seek legal guidance on the matter as soon as possible as there are short timescales involved. It’s advisable to challenge a will before it goes to probate. Click here for further information about probate.
Reasons Why You Might Contest A Will:
- You’re unhappy with the terms of the will or feel you’ve been cut out of inheritance you’re entitled to
- You believe that the will hasn’t been signed properly and in accordance with the rules
- You doubt the mental capacity of the person in understanding what they’re signing
- You think that undue influence has taken place – when someone else has directly influenced and pressured the person signing the will
- You feel that the will has been forged or is fraudulent
How Can Quinn Legal Help?
Whether you decide to contest a will, or you’re the executor of a will that’s being contested, our advocates can provide convenient, useful guidance on handling the situation sensitively.
We’re Estate Planning experts and fierce negotiators. These combine to make our services invaluable in situations when a will is contested.
We’ll assist with:
- Handling an application to contest a will and following legal action
- Representation of an executor against the person contesting the will
Get In Touch Today
At Quinn Legal we help our clients from day one. Make a free enquiry by calling 01624 665522 or emailing us and find out how we can make your life easier.
Alternatively, you can fill out our handy online enquiry form and one of our team will be in touch within 24 hours.