A former BBC World Service newsroom worker was contacted by Finders International who told her she was the rightful heir to a £300,000 fortune, according to a recent article in The Daily Mail.
Margaret Abbotts, from London, originally believed the letter that claimed she was the sole beneficiary to an estate was a scam, until she realised it was in relation to the older half-sister she had never met, Mary Major. Mary had passed away two years earlier without a will meaning her estate was left intestate.
“I wish I had met my sister”
The Money Mail reported that Margaret knew she had an elder sister, who was 19 years older, from her father’s first marriage. Sadly, Margaret would never get the chance to meet Mary as her father left Margaret and her mother when Margaret was just ten-months old. She was only informed of her older sister’s death when she received the letter about the inheritance.
Margaret said of the news, “I wish I had met my sister, as I had no one growing up. I’m glad my children have each other.”
Family Tree Verification
With official figures showing that, last year, almost 2000 people died without leaving a will, it is often necessary to hire a company, like Finders International, to verify the family tree. The solicitors dealing with the administration of Mary’s estate were acting on behalf of Mary’s cousins who were looking to make a claim, but hired Finders to confirm they were the rightful heirs.
By using family history websites, like Ancestry, and searching through birth, marriage and death certificates, Finders managed to track down Margaret. Just 18 months later, the estate was settled and Margaret received £300,000. Margaret said, “I could not believe it. I had never come close to such an amount and did not even know how to write the figures.” With her inheritance, Margaret has now been able to clear her mortgage, go on holiday and gift money to her four children.
Danny Curran, Managing Director of Finders International, said, “This is an interesting case that highlights the importance of family tree verification. If the solicitors had not taken this vital step, we could have been looking at a very different story. We are delighted to have ensured the inheritance was passed onto the rightful heir, especially someone as lovely as Margaret.”
Finders International offer a family tree verification service. To find out about this service and other services we offer, please visit us at Finders International. Alternatively, you can call us on +44(0)20 74904935 or email us at [email protected].