Inheritance issues can happen when an estate needs to be settled. Although, most Minnesota estate are closed without issue, inheritance disputes are common. There are several causes of inheritance disputes among family members.
One reason why an inheritance dispute may arise is that someone argues that whatever is in the will is not the intention of the will’s creator. A person may feel like they have been left out of the will by accident. This can happen if there was a lack of coordination of estate documents, poor communication among family members or family circumstances that have changed and estate documents were not updated.
A second reason for a dispute to arise is that a family member believes they have been shortchanged in the will or trust. Examples include a child who has spent a long time caring for an aging parent through a terminal illness and used their own funds or had to cut back at work to care for their parent. This person may feel like they should receive more from their parent’s estate because of the economical sacrifice they made.
Or, another typical scenario is one child who received a significant loan from a parent when they were alive, but still received an equal share of the estate. Other siblings may feel like that is not a fair division. One additional reason for a dispute to arise is if the family believes their loved one was the victim of financial mistreatment. A person may have been convinced by their health care aide to give them a large amount of money or an estate executor mismanages the funds.
When an inheritance dispute arises, families can be placed in emotional turmoil. A legal professional who specializes in probate disputes understand the importance of listening to all parties involved in the dispute. Using mediation techniques, most disputes can be worked out while preserving the family’s relationship with each other.
Settling an estate can be an emotional time for families. When things do not go as expected, disputes can arise.