Being wronged in a will is hurtful and is certain to stir up some mixed emotions, but it’s best to let your feelings simmer down before you proceed with contesting it. You want to have a clear head and make sure you know your rights prior to moving ahead.
What will help you out the most is learning what the grounds are for contesting a will. This way you’ll be able to proceed with confidence because you’ll have more knowledge about the laws governing the grounds of a family will like, the Basics of the BC Wills Variation Act and other similar laws, which will lead you to be aware of your rights. Review these points and think them over before taking any action, so you can tackle this sticky situation the right way.
Lack of Knowledge & Approval
A person creating a will must be in a state of mind where they’re clearly aware and knowledgeable about what they’re about to sign. They should fully understand the content of the will and what it means for them and their family members. It could be that they weren’t fully informed of what was included in the document or that there was some sort of suspicious activity detected. For instance, the person who helped prepare it could have slipped in information about special and unwarranted gifts to themselves.
Fraudulent or Forged Wills
Although it’s disappointing, the situation does occur where there are fraudulent or forged wills. This is one ground you should be aware of as to why you can go ahead and contest a will. It is illegal to forge signatures or make false statements in a will. This is because these statements in most cases may have been disagreed upon by the person who is now deceased. If they were present, they could dispute the claims. There are also circumstances where family members lie to one another to get what they want in the moment and then later find this out. What you can do if you know you’ve been wronged, but are unsure of how to contest it, is to contact legal specialists such as the-inheritance-experts.co.uk and they’ll be able to help you determine where to go from here.
Legal experts of comparable caliber can employ a diverse array of strategies to ascertain the authenticity of wills, including leveraging the expertise of people tracing services. These specialists collaborate with these service providers to validate the legitimacy of signatures through comparison with verified samples, effectively unveiling any instances of forgery. Additionally, cases of fraudulent wills may involve the invention of fictional beneficiaries, aimed at manipulating asset distribution. In such scenarios, enlisting the assistance of Bond Rees Investigators (and equally proficient experts) skilled in tracing individuals can become invaluable. These professionals can meticulously trace beneficiaries, confirming their identities and relationships with the deceased, thereby illuminating any inconsistencies or irregularities. Furthermore, people tracing services can possess the acumen to adeptly identify fabricated beneficiaries, meticulously scrutinizing their connections to the deceased and the provided information for potential anomalies. In essence, through these collaborative efforts, legal professionals investigate and unveil potential instances of forgery and fraud within the context of wills.
Inappropriate Influence
Another ground you can use to contest a will is if you believe there has been an inappropriate influence. For example, it’s possible you have facts showing that the person writing the will was coerced into making certain decisions and therefore was unduly influenced. Keep in mind that this scenario can be hard to prove. However, it’s worth you fighting for the person who wrote the will if you believe they were forced to include people in the will or make gifts that truly weren’t the wishes of the testator.
Conclusion
These are a few specific grounds for why you may want to contest a will and get back what you believe belongs to you. It’s best to come up with a plan of action before you make any sudden moves. Most importantly, make sure you have your facts well organised and that you are in a position to clearly prove your side of the story.