Administering wills

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32639, 22 June 1971, Page 16

Administering wills

Sir, —Could you inform me why there is always such a - long delay in administering a 1 will? A widow whose husband died in January still * has hot had the legalities ■ finalised or any money paid • over from the estate, ' although it was a straightforward will, leaving everything to the wife, and the home jointly owned. Also it „ took 3$ months to get an c insurance paid, which was to have been paid “immediately ‘at death.” Both were in 1 their eighties, and this delay is causing nervous strain and much worry. The will is { in the hands of the Public e Trust—Yours, etc., p DISGUSTED. June 17, 1971. [The District Public Trustee (Mr V. E. Barker) replies: “I - would be extremely con- - cemed about any unneces- : sary delay such as described, . and inquiries will be made t if your correspondent gets I in touch with me personally. ' I would need to know only r the name of the estate and 1 where it is being adminis- : tered. It could be that an J application to the Court is ■ being made by some other r person for provision from the ’ estate (under the Family ' Protection Act, for instance), i but where the need exists, > the Public Trustee can, and j often does, make a payment > to the widow immediately t after the bereavement A full > investigation will be made if r details are supplied.” ]