Rights of beneficiary to view accounts

Queensland ESTATE

Hi

I am a beneficiary in a will. The executor (a relative) did not tell me for 5 months I was in the will. I only found out when a letter arrived at my door asking me to sign a discharge and indemnity form. The solicitors letter assumed I had known I was a beneficiary and had a copy of the will.

There's a long list of other things that don't appear right but the main question I have is that the executor and her solicitor are asking all beneficiaries to sign a discharge form to get an interimn payment (about 90% of the total payment). And then they will wrap the rest of the estate up and then pay out the small second payment and also issue a statment of account at that time.

I am telling the executor and solicitor that I want to see a preliminary set of accounts now before I sign.
Do I have a right to ask this?
Do they have a right to refuse?
What will happen to the estate (and other beneficiary's payments) if I refuse to sign until I see the figures?

At the moment they are saying unless all beneficiaries sign this discharge and indemnity form, no money will be released.

None of the other beneficiaries mind if I do this and therefore hold up distribution. They would like the same info but just gave up waiting.

Thanks in advance.

Thanks for your reply. So far I have written to them and asked but they have sent a letter back ignoring my request and just re-iterating I am the last of everyone to send the discharge in.

It feels like a standoff is about to happen but I'm just wondering how far I can push it.

Thanks again

I had a similar problem and had to hire a solicitor interstate.

It is terrible to see how vunerable benificiaries are to the preditory practices of dishonest executors and unaccountable lawyers. I suggest you alert Senator Steve Fielding to the issues. I have spent the past five years and written a book called Lawyers or Grave Robbers? in an attempt to bring about change and accountability in this area of the law. It is obvious that you have a right to see all of the accounts and that should be stated in law.