The murdered television presenter Ms Jill Dando left more than £1 million but no will, official papers revealed yesterday. The total gross value of her estate, £1,181,207, passes to her father since she had not written a will when she was shot dead on the doorstep of her Fulham home in April.
But because of the age of Ms Dando's father, Mr Jack Dando, who is in his 80s, the estate will be administered by her brother, Mr Nigel Dando, chief reporter at the Bristol Evening Post, until further representations are granted.
The net value of the estate is £863,756, which takes into account the mortgage and income tax she had to pay as a self-employed worker, according to Mr Nicholas Brown, the solicitor responsible for the work. Mr Brown said about £276,000 from the net figure was payable to the Inland Revenue in inheritance tax. The majority of it had been paid, he said.
Ms Dando was due to marry her fiance, Dr Alan Farthing, in September and had she died after the ceremony, the Inland Revenue would have been entitled to only £40,000 in inheritance tax, according to Mr Brown. What happens to the remaining sum, about £600,000, is now up to her father.
"It's entirely in his hands. I don't think anyone else has a legal claim against that. What happens is a matter for Mr Dando," Mr Brown added. If Mr Dando decided to give some of the money away to family members or Dr Farthing, there would be no further tax implications. The level of inheritance tax payable would only go down if some were to be given to charity.
It is now expected to take at least a year to sort out all Ms Dando's financial dealings, including her income tax and the completion of the sale of her house on July 15th.