I have been cut out of my mum’s will so my siblings will inherit more money

DEAR DEIDRE: I HAVE been cut out of my mum’s will so my siblings could inherit more money.

When my mother passed away recently, I was waiting to be contacted so I could have the jewellery and money I knew were promised to me as part of my mother’s legacy.

I’m 60 years old, and I’m the youngest of three.

But I was taken aback when my sister called me, saying I’d been written out of the will a year before.

Instead, my older siblings got everything while I didn’t get a penny.

My Mum had dementia, and I believe that she didn’t know what she was signing.

My older siblings don’t have any honour – they only care about their own bank balances.

I hadn’t seen my Mum in more than ten years because my siblings kept me away from her.

No one was allowed to see Mum unless one of them was there.

She was bedridden and terrified of them. They’d abused her throughout her life, despite her raising us with love and happiness.

It didn’t take long for them to stop answering my calls, and soon they moved Mum out of her house and refused to tell me where she had gone.

I later found out they were using the benefit money that should’ve gone to my Mum to pay for their holidays and cars, as neither of them have a job.

How do I get this new will reversed and find out how I can receive my fair share of what I’m owed?

DEIDRE SAYS: It may be difficult to successfully contest the will.

Coercion, or undue influence, is very hard to prove because of its very nature.

It tends to happen behind closed doors, and you may have a lengthy fight on your hands if you can successfully prove your mother did not have the mental capacity to sign this document.

You will need to seek specialist legal advice to ensure that you have the best chance of doing this successfully.

In the meantime, my support pack on bereavement may help you to process the feelings you will be having during this very difficult time.