When a loved one passes away, many people don’t know if they have the right to inherit. The answer is not always straightforward, as some research may be required. Even so, many estates remain unclaimed. Without professional help, it can be difficult to determine whether you are entitled to anything. Continue reading to learn more.
Unclaimed Property in the United Kingdom
The fact that no family members are left to inherit is one reason for the large number of unclaimed estates. Of course, you can identify relatives if you go far enough back in a person’s family tree, but intestacy laws only extend to certain relatives, typically up to grandparents and their descendants.
In certain situations, family members might not be able to be located. Usually, the biggest problem here is the use of common names. When names like Jane Smith and John Jones are involved, it can be difficult to find an exact birth record for the intestate. Consequently, a large number of names remain on the bona vacantia list. To find out whether family members are leaving estates, people frequently search for their surname in the bona vacantia, but this search is often fruitless. Without clear information about the deceased, trying to establish a connection can become little more than guesswork.
You can search the official UK government list of unclaimed estates via the bona vacantia register.
Personal Relationship
If you recognise the person listed on the bona vacantia register, you may be able to help by proving your connection to them. To locate the relevant birth record, you can provide the names of the intestate’s parents. There may be family members who have greater rights than you, so even if a family relationship can be proven, it does not automatically grant you an estate. For example, even if your line is one of entitlement, your parents or grandparents may be entitled if genealogists have been required to follow their lines. This is because they are more closely related. You would only be eligible if they passed away before you.
Professional probate services can help guide you through the legal process and confirm your entitlement.
Testacy
In some cases, an estate believed to be intestate may later be found to have a valid will. In cases involving bona vacantia, this is occasionally the case. People may believe they are entitled to inherit, only to later discover, to their family’s dismay, that the deceased had a will.
Understanding the intestacy rules is essential when determining who is legally entitled to inherit an estate. Further guidance on wills, probate, and inheritance is available on the IWC website.
If you require help with estate planning, you should contact a professional, such as Intestacy Rules.