Family will situation, what can I do?

Wish to Cancel.

i think its time to contact a solicitor for advise

yes i agree, do consult with a solicitor

Its likely that there is no Will i.e. intestate. This is very common in uncomplicated cases where deceased is happy for their estate to pass to next of kin in accordance with inheritance law. Your particular case sounds like one of these - parent is happy for estate to be divided equally among all children.

However, one or more of your siblings must have applied for a Grant of Administration and the local Probate Office should have the paperwork relating to this which would include a list of assets, debts etc.

See information here:

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/c...seds-estate/dealing_with_the_deceaseds_estate

Most unlikely that a bank would take it on itself to divide up money amongst next of kin. They may just have released money for funeral expenses etc subject to some indemnities. If the bank itself divided the assets it could end up being deemed to be executor de son tort - i.e. by default for dealing ( "intermeddling" is the term used ) in the estate without the formal authority of a grant of probate or letters of administration..

No matter how friendly you are with other members of the family it is unusual to be asked to sign a blank page, and rather naive and foolhardy to sign a blank sheet of paper under any circumstances. Perhaps you are winding us up?

If this is a genuine problen, go to a solicitor

Wish to cancel.

IF your mother died without a will then you and your siblings are equally entitled to benefit in her estate according to the laws of succession.

If the account was less than around 13000 ( can vary a little according to the bank) then no grant of administration would have been needed. It merely needed someone in the family to sign a few forms, possibly get tax clearance from the revenue ( not always necessary) and divvy up the money.

So what I am saying to you is that your brother/Mary may be being entirely reasonable in what they are saying. There is no will, therefore no executor. If the funds are below a certain level there would have been no need to extract a grant in the probate office.

How much was in the account?

Why not just ask the bank and see if they supply you a closing balance. I found after my father's death that banks aren't exactly paragons of virtue and will disclose information over the phone that they really shouldn't! It's funny how rules are bent for the bereaved by these institutions-it's nice in a way. You may well be able to get a closing balance easily enough.