It is easy to plan life while you’re alive, but few people prepare for death. For some, it could be because of fear or simply because they see it as something that isn’t likely to happen any time soon. However, death is the inevitable end for everyone, but what happens to the people you leave behind? You may be one of those who have recently been left behind after a loved one has died and perhaps are considering contesting a will that you feel is invalid or that you’ve entirely been left out of. If this happens to be the case, you should continue reading is this article is going to tell you how to contest a will.
Get the Right Advice
One of the first things that you should do when contesting a will is get the right advice. Although you may feel the will of a family member or spouse is invalid, it’s important that you know whether you have the right to contest the will in the first place. It’s advisable that you contact professionals who have extensive experience in contesting wills such as the-inheritance-experts.co.uk. Ideally, they should be able to give you the right advice and tell you whether or not you’re in a good position to contest a will and how to go about it.
Consider Mediation
Seeing as court can be a long, tedious, and draining process, you should consider mediation as a next step. If you get a good lawyer or solicitor, they should be able to guide the estate to mediation. This may be better than going to court as it could save you a significant amount of money that you would otherwise spend on legal fees. Additionally, you’d be able to save the time and long waiting periods often involved in court cases. If you want to mediate out of court, it is also key that you find a lawyer who is committed to doing so and you and the other party are open to a peaceful resolution.
Ensure You Have Ample Evidence
If you want to challenge a will, you should ensure that you build a case first and foremost. This will likely mean that you need to have ample evidence that proves that the will is invalid. Just to be clear, evidence is information a party may show to prove his or her case. Some things that could potentially make a will invalid and that you would need to prove using evidence include that the deceased lacked the mental capacity to understand what was happening when they signed the will or were forced into changing the original one that you have been included in. Any written agreements or conversations that you can find could go a long way in helping validify your case.
Contesting a will is something that sometimes is the best alternative when you feel you’ve been unwilfully left out of an inheritance or not given what the deceased would have truly wanted. However, it’s key that you go about it the right way to avoid years of contesting and exorbitant legal fees. Hopefully, the above article has given you key tips on how best to go about it.
