Opinions here please.

My estranged Dad has never helped me Joseanne, he is exceptionally mean, I really didn't want him to benefit - which on reflection is mean of me isn't it. I didn't find out until after my Mum's death that he hardly gave her any money when we were children and she typed envelopes at night to make ends meet, whilst he spent money on his motorbike hobby without a care. We exchange correspondence occasionally now, he has just written to tell me he thinks I'm doomed in the NE, it's going to be a recession like the 30's and I should sell up and move south. He's 90 and will never change.

?

Germanshepherdsmum

Joseanne

If, as in the unlikely event of the entire family dying together on holiday, does it matter what happens to the estate?

Oh, yes. In the event of everyone you wish to benefit dying leave your estate to charity rather than it going to some distant relatives you may never have heard of.

Note made!
And provision for the dogs!

Joseanne

If, as in the unlikely event of the entire family dying together on holiday, does it matter what happens to the estate?

Oh, yes. In the event of everyone you wish to benefit dying leave your estate to charity rather than it going to some distant relatives you may never have heard of.

As the OP I wasn’t intending to discuss individual cases, it just happened that I knew of two situations and wondered about how other people would act in a similar situation.
I myself always try to do the fair and what I consider the right thing.
I do agree though that fair is not part of today’s world and we must “suck it up”.

I found out my husband had been seeing his son from his first marriage secretly for four years and remember my anxiety waiting for the will. It's all a horrible business.

If, as in the unlikely event of the entire family dying together on holiday, does it matter what happens to the estate?

I deemed my very wealthy father's will to be unfair and employed a top London solicitor, Mishcon, to contest it for me in the 1980s. The process became fraught with digging into issues that I really couldn't stomach, as I was young and disliked confrontation. I let it go, life's too short, but it does niggle even today that he chose to do it that way.

That should be "May I", of course. I now have a ghost shouting in my ears.

welbeck

please could posters put a word in the thread title that reveals the subject. eg, wills, fair or not ?
thank you.

Can I second that welbeck. I did ask for this on a Site thread. People seemed to find it funny not to do so.

Fair doesn’t come into it. It probably should have been discussed before one died...but the remaining one can do as he/she wants.

We’ve never had any inheritances, and don’t expect to.

please could posters put a word in the thread title that reveals the subject. eg, wills, fair or not ?
thank you.

Chestnut wrote It's in our interests to consider various outcomes and to wonder where our own money might end up.

There’s no need to wonder about where our own money will end up. Everyone can write a will detailing exactly how their estate is to be distributed. If you don’t trust your surviving partner to follow your verbal wishes it can be written into the will.

I feel it is fair to be able to leave money to whoever you want to.

Nannagarra

I know someone who contested a will as he deliberately hadn’t been included. (Long story.) He appointed a no win-no fee solicitor and inherited his equal share.
Courts have come to view such matters differently according to the QC consulted and the family was dissuaded to pursue the matter.
Until then I believed wills were water-tight.

Yes that will be a long story with a great deal more detail.

DaisyAnne

*Chestnut*. Surely, "fairness" is nothing to do with a will. Fairness is a perspective. The only person's perspective that matters here is the person's making the will. We cannot judge what influenced that perspective as we have not lived their life. A Will is just a legal document. Everyone has a right to make it according to their own perspective; ours is irrelelvant.

This doesn't relate to my comment. I didn't mention fairness.

I know someone who contested a will as he deliberately hadn’t been included. (Long story.) He appointed a no win-no fee solicitor and inherited his equal share.
Courts have come to view such matters differently according to the QC consulted and the family was dissuaded to pursue the matter.
Until then I believed wills were water-tight.

Unfair.

My granny and grandad had specific plans for their inheritors. Granny died, grandad remarried a woman with no assets of her own. When grandad died, his assets went to her. None remained in our family.

My uncle fought it. My dad didn't. Not sure what the outcome was.

Very sad. My granny would have been so unhappy at this.

I don’t think it’s anyones business and it’s up to each individual or couple to decide how they will leave any money houses etc between them
How can anyone else judge
Original post says , I know every detail of her will it’s still her will and not yours Why ask complete strangers who know nothing about the people or the set up if it’s fair ??

If you want a discussion about wills and inheritance do a general discussion I don’t feel I or anyone else should have any input in individual cases

It is normal that a husband would leave his estate/inheritance to his wife as she is in that partnership. What happens afterwards is up to her surely as it would be vice versa.

I like that GSM!

Our wills leave our estates as we choose and fairness doesn’t come into it.

We're just discussing what we consider to be fair Daisyann. Obviously opinions will differ and don't affect the validity of the will. But it's an interesting discussion.

Chestnut. Surely, "fairness" is nothing to do with a will. Fairness is a perspective. The only person's perspective that matters here is the person's making the will. We cannot judge what influenced that perspective as we have not lived their life. A Will is just a legal document. Everyone has a right to make it according to their own perspective; ours is irrelelvant.

DaisyAnne

Why is it anyone else's business but the people concerned?

It's an item for discussion because wills and inheritance affect all of us. The possibilities are endless when a person dies and their spouse or partner maybe re-marries etc. It's in our interests to consider various outcomes and to wonder where our own money might end up.