Could you be the one to inherit a substantial sum of money from a family member you didn’t know?

Every year, millions of people die without making a Will. In this situation a deceased person’s estate (property, possessions, money) must be shared out according to certain rules. These are called the rules of intestacy. Only a spouse or Civil Partner and blood relatives can inherit under these strict rules. However, it is not always a simple task to locate these entitled relatives.

If there is no known next of kin to inherit an estate in England and Wales, the government department Bona Vacantia – BV Division holds it in trust and tries to locate any family. If no entitled relatives exist, the estate passes to the Crown. Prior to this, details are published by the government and routinely updated to help people who are entitled to come forward and make their claim. With 169 unclaimed estates in Hertfordshire and 7,351 across England and Wales it’s likely that someone out there is in for an unexpected inheritance.

Check out the list here: Gov.UK: Unclaimed Estates List.

If you require Will Writing, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Court of Protection, trust or probate services please call 01727 869 293 or use the contact form on this page.