Any experts out there?
In summary:
Dad died in January. He lived in Cyprus with his girlfriend, been there 7 years. He was still married to mum but they were separated for 17 years. Last summer he opened a joint account with his girlfriend using a Cyprus bank, approx £15k in it when he died. He also has savings of £51k in a UK bank.
I’m listed in his will as the executor, estate to be split 4 ways between his girlfriend and 3 children. My sister has gone to the trouble of organising the details and filled in the UK tax docs for me to sign and apply for probate.
The problem is that my sister is trying to claim for half of the girlfriends joint account as his estate. I’ve read that you can’t include a joint account in probate, especially in a foreign country. So I’m thinking that it’s simply a case of splitting the UK savings 4 ways??

Any ideas? The family is close to war 😯

Doh put it in wrong forum..

Ask a lawyer this is not something you should try to work out.

Also give your greedy sister a slap and tell her to be respectful! Tell her she can choose between the existing offer, or spend the difference on lawyer fees until she gets nothing because the estate is gone and lawyers own the lot.

Also give your greedy sister a slap and tell her to be respectful! Tell her she can choose between the existing offer, or spend the difference on lawyer fees until she gets nothing because the estate is gone and lawyers own the lot.

^^^^^This, sorry nothing to add regarding your legal question.

Ask a lawyer this is not something you should try to work out.

Also give your greedy sister a slap and tell her to be respectful! Tell her she can choose between the existing offer, or spend the difference on lawyer fees until she gets nothing because the estate is gone and lawyers own the lot.

+1, and you will be needing UK lawyers and Cypriot lawyers, who’s eyes light up at the thought of dealing with UK complainants.
Under UK law I believe the joint account is not part of the estate, so goes to the girlfriend. It may be different in Cyprus, and they probably have different rules on Inheritance tax and probate. Your sister could be about to open Pandora’s box…

I have nothing constructive to add, but sorry for your loss.

So your sister is doing all this over less than £2k? I’m not really one for violence but give her a stern talking to instead.

Sorry for your loss. Try and be calm, ime money, wills and family are generally a difficult mix.

Personally I would assume you are going to get nothing from the Cyprus account, I don’t know if a Cyprus bank would even recognise a UK probate (ie your authority to ask for the money). Also as above you have UK and Cyprus law issues, who knows it could be the norm there for all the money to pass to the surviving account holder automatically.

Do you have a relationship with the gf ? If so you could ask for half the money, tbh its possibly gone now your Dad may have told the gf it’s to be hers on his death, it could have been a gift to her etc …

Good news he didn’t transfer more over really

Best of luck

Many thanks for all the replies and advice. My sister is greedy and heartless, I think that would sound better coming from a solicitor and not me! Think I’ll get some professional advice.
Thanks gang 🙄