How to Avoid Conflicts in the Family Due to Inheritance
Conflicts are common when someone passes and their inheritance is divided between family members. Though wills, trusts, and other measures are put in place to help prevent conflicts, they can still happen if someone believes the inheritance was unfairly divided or they didn’t get as much as they expected. Thankfully, there are things that can be done to help prevent or calm conflicts within the family for the inheritance.
Understand the Laws Regarding Wills and Trusts
It is important for those who are creating a will as well as the executors of the will to make sure they understand the laws regarding wills and trusts. The will needs to be done properly to help prevent potential conflicts and to ensure it can’t be changed after the person’s death because someone is unhappy with their inheritance or because they feel like they were forgotten. Speaking with probate and trust litigation attorneys can help executors know what to expect if there are any potential issues with the will or trusts.
Communicate With the Family
The person writing the will should make sure to communicate with the family about the will and any changes that are made to it so everyone is on the same page and knows what to expect. It is always important to explain decisions to the family ahead of time so no one is surprised by what they receive from the will. If someone does not receive a part of the inheritance, this offers the opportunity to explain why, so they don’t feel left out or forgotten. This could help prevent them from trying to sue to claim part of the inheritance that the deceased did not want them to have.
Use Preventative Measures
It is important for the person to use preventative measures when creating the will to help make it less likely that anything can be changed after their death. For instance, there may be parts of the will that they believe will have the potential to cause conflict. They may include no-contest clauses in the will to help ensure that the will can’t be changed after they die, to prevent changes being made to the way they want their inheritance to be handled.
Use Mediation to Talk About Issues
It is a good idea for the executor of the will to go through mediation to talk to others about potential issues. With mediation, it’s possible to talk to the person with a third party involved to help keep everyone calm to discuss the issues at hand. If there is any confusion with the will or other potential disputes, this can be a way to resolve them without having to go to court.
Document Everything and Work With a Lawyer
It is a good idea for the executor to document everything they do regarding the will so there are no questions about what has been done and what still needs to be done. They may also want to work with a lawyer to prevent potential disputes or to get advice if there are any disputes.
Following these steps, it may be possible to quell any potential disputes that arise because of the inheritance. Talk to a lawyer as soon as possible about the inheritance and any potential conflicts to learn more about what to expect, what can be done, and how to prevent more serious conflicts from occurring.
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