Q: Does a decedent need to inform a beneficiary that changes were made to their will?
When I was asked to sign the Will by the decedent it was a particular percentage. Then after she passed away and I received a copy of the will and the Probate Petition from the Executor's lawyer, my perecentage had changed to 5% less than the original percentage that the decedent showed me when I signed. I have no way of proving this though. Is there any action I can take to see what happened?
A:
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Your description is not clear to me. Where were you signing on the decedent's will? In what capacity where you signing the decedent's will? If you are a beneficiary under the will, you are disqualified to act as a witness for the execution of the will. To answer your question, a testator does not need to tell anyone what his/her estate plan provides. A will is considered "ambulatory"--that is, it does not take effect until the testator passes away. During his/her lifetime, a testator is free to revoke an existing will, amend the will, make codicils to the will, etc. You should consult your own attorney to protect your legal rights.
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