Contesting a will can be a daunting task, but it is sometimes necessary to protect your inheritance. If you believe that you have been unfairly excluded from a will, or that the will is not valid, there are steps you can take to challenge it.
A user asked the forum, Am I a jerk for contesting a will and likely getting all of the inheritance instead of my dad’s girlfriend?
BACK STORY
The Original Poster’s (OP) dad ran off with his mom’s friend when he was 12. OP says that his mom and his dad never got legally divorced.
MOM AND DAD PASSED AWAY
OP’s mom passed away a few years ago, and his dad passed away late last year. OP asks if he is a jerk for contesting the will even though he left everything he owned to his girlfriend.
HIS MOM AND DAD AREN’T DIVORCED
OP says that his father and his girlfriend share two young kids that he doesn’t have a relationship with. OP says since his parents aren’t divorced, he is the sole legal “heir” to his parents’ estates.
IT WAS NOT HIS FAULT
OP also added that he already got a good chunk from his mom and was also a medical professional, so it’s not like he was hurting for money.
OP’s wife also works at a good job. He says that it was not his fault that his dad never made things official with his girlfriend, and he says she can figure out her own finances.
IT WAS HIS MOTHER’S BUSINESS
OP says that his dad’s estate mostly comprises the proceeds from the sale of his business—a business he created with his mother. He also says that his mother was constantly upset that the business was taken from her and wanted OP to have it.
He asks if he will be a jerk for doing this
IT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS
“If your dad will be for it to go to his girlfriend, that’s none of your business, and you need to respect his wishes. Even if you don’t like the girlfriend, there are two kids involved who are not to blame for him leaving your mum. You obviously don’t need the money and are only doing it out of spite.”
DON’T ROB IT FROM THEM
“He left a will. It was his final wish for his SO and children to be taken care of. Getting back at your father by robbing them of their inheritance will not make you feel better.”
RESPECT YOUR DAD’S WILL
“A will is there for a reason. He wanted his money to go to her, not to you. Contesting it is literally spitting on his wishes out of revenge. You’re punishing your siblings out of pettiness.”
DON’T SCREW YOUR STEP-SIBLINGS
“Your dad screwed you and your mom over, but if you really did take the entire inheritance, you screwed your step-siblings over just as badly. Had you taken only the half you felt your mom had stolen from her by your dad and apart from your dad’s, I could possibly understand, but not everything.”
LEAVE IT TO THEM
“You don’t need the money if you already inherited it, so if they need it more than you and you’ll be fine without it, let them have it. Maybe family heirlooms, but they should get some stuff too. Your dad also sucks for not finalizing things. I would find a way to split it, but other than that, leave it to them.”
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This article was originally published on Mrs Daaku Studio.