Getting Through Your Divorce and on With Your Life

Leaving An Inheritance? 3 Tips To Help Minimize Fights Among Your Heirs

25 July 2017

Celina Henry

When you pass away, the last thing that you want to happen is for your family to be fighting over your property and assets. So, to help keep this from happening, here are three things that you can do:

1. Make Sure You Have a Will Prepared and Updated Regularly.

For some people, it is just common sense to have a will. For others, they don't believe that a will is necessary. Many people live their lives thinking that their family members will inherit their property and belongings with no problem at all. While this may be the case every now and then, it does not always happen, especially when there are multiple children, grandchildren, etc. that all want their share.

A will allows you to ensure that you have a full inventory of your personal belongings, and it is seen as the responsible thing for you to do – not only for yourself but for your family as well. If you hate seeing your family members fight, then having a will prepared that will explain exactly who gets what when you die makes a lot of sense since there should be no arguing over who gets your beloved china set.

2. Don't Leave Anyone Out, or at Least Create a List of Those Excluded.

One of the most common reassess that wills are challenged is because of someone not being included in the will, which may have been done accidentally or intentionally. As a general rule, a rightful heir who was left out of a will on accident has the right to challenge their inheritance – and often do so successfully. On the other hand, those who were left out of a will on purpose find it far more difficult to challenge their inheritance with success.

To help minimize problems with the reading of your will and with your family members, if you are going to exclude someone from your will and from inheriting any of your property, money, etc., it is best if you include a list of people to dismiss in your will. This list will include the individuals that you do not wish to receive an inheritance. In doing so, it will make it more difficult for them to challenge their alleged inheritance by saying that they were intentionally left out of the will.

3. Let Some Family Members Know About Your Secrets.

It isn't uncommon for some wills to have some surprising revelations that can shock the entire family to their core. For example, if you have a secret lover or a secret child that you would like to leave some form of inheritance to, it may be a good idea to let a couple of your closest and most trusted family members in on the secret and let them know the contents of your will (at least in this regard). This may help when it comes to the reading of your will for those family members who would like to dispute it out of shock from the surprise.

When you are ready to prepare your will, contact a local estate attorney's office like DOUG NEWBORN LAW FIRM, PLLC for assistance.

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About Me

Going through a divorce? I know how you might feel – alone, stressed out, and probably even a little sad due to the loss of the life you have always known. Whether you have children or not, you might even feel a little guilty about the break down of your relationship. But I'm here to tell you that a divorce is not the end of the world. In fact, once you get used to the idea and start to move on with your life, you may find just as much, if not more, happiness than you ever had while you were married! Getting through the proceedings of your divorce in a dignified manner is the first step, and hopefully this website will give you the insight, support, and motivation you need to get through the process as painlessly as possible.