A Judge was told that Mr Singh left everything to his two sons within his Will as he wanted to leave his £1m+ estate solely down to the male line. Mr Singh’s estate included a family-run clothing business.
Mr Singh left behind his widow, Mrs Kaur, whose only income was state benefits of around £12,000 per annum. Mr Singh also had four daughters.
The Judge felt that reasonable provision had not been made for Mrs Kaur and ruled that Mr Kaur should receive 50% of the net value of the estate.
Within the Judge’s detailed decision, he said:
“It seems to me that this is the clearest possible case entitling me to conclude that reasonable provision has not been made for the claimant [Mrs Kaur]. It is hard to see how any other conclusion can be reached. After a marriage of 66 tears, to which she made a full and equal contribution, and during which all the assets accrued, she is left with next to nothing.”
This case clearly shows the importance of taking legal advice when preparing a Will and discussions about the implications of excluding a person from a Will. This can mean that the Will is contested and Court proceedings commence, which only increases costs, conflict and upset for grieving families.
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The information provided in this article is not intended to constitute professional advice and you should take full and comprehensive legal, accountancy or financial advice as appropriate on your individual circumstances by a fully qualified Solicitor, Accountant or Financial Advisor/Mortgage Broker before you embark on any course of action.