contesting the will

I don't think I could contest a will unless I was left out for a silly reason (had a fight with the relative and then they change their will that day and die the next).

I don't that is weird to expect an inheritance, I was so shocked when I received one from my great uncle I had never even met from England.

I personally think that is really low. It always amazes me how money hungry people can get when someone dies. Like vultures!!! As a rule I agree that you wouldn't go against the wishes of that person.

Not the case when my mother died though. We had to contest her will. Long story but basically she hadn't been well (mentally after a car accident with severe head injuries) for a long time and her sisters had convinced her to write us (her children) out of her will, and leave all her assets to their children. This was changed less than a month before she died!
Unfortunately for them we were underage (15 & 17) and there is a law in NZ that states in these situations the estate will go to provide for the children. Her sisters felt this was unfair and that they were entitled to a slice of the pie (so to speak). They were told by their lawyer that there was no way they would win if it went to court. Anyway, they still managed to drag it out for 7 years which meant by the time it got to the high court the legal fees were huge. My brother and I were awarded half each of the estate, but of course the legal fees had to be taken out of that.
We then had to take them to court to find out what had happened to her ashes and if there was even a grave! It got very messy and really opened my eyes even at that age to how nasty families can be when there is an inheritance involved!

That is terrible Liz (and OMG Mum2Sam!). In a normal situation I do not agree with contesting a will, like you say its honouring that persons wishes. Things like that just make me feel so mad, I cant imagine what it must be like to have it actually happening. Hope it gets sorted out soon - and not in their favour.

OMG Mum2sam and Lizzle!!! I think it is bloody awful, situations like that.

I personally don't expect any inheritance (except, i guess I will get landed with the debts, lol) from my mother and never have done, and I think its pretty bad when there are expectations of being "set up for life" or whatever. I don't think you should have to live a meagre life so you can make your children wealthy when you die. Don't you give them enuff already??!!

Money is the root of all eveil when it comes to wills etc. I think you shuld respect the wishes of the deceased, except in the circumstances like mum2sam.

Some people are truly out for themselves and whats worse is that they often convince themselves that they deserve it and are doing the right thing!!!

my dad is in a similar situation Fleury and a few months ago, we all sat down and discussed their wqill. If Dad dies, everything goes to my step-mother BUT, it will actually be put in trust under 1/2 (me and 1/2 my s-sisters. If smum remarries, she has to "buy me out". and vice versa if she dies first. they explained this in more detail and showed us documents, so all of us are pretty happy about it.

I'll play devils advocate here and try and get my head around this. These are your cousins who are contesting right? In a lot of cases where estates are split among the deceased's children, if they too are dead the grandchildren get it, so I don't see a problem with it. I would kind of think it a bit rude that my whole side of the family got left out of the will because my parents unfortunately passed before the matriach or patriach did. In our family, we had the same thing happen (where an aunty had died before the grandmother) and her share was given to her children. So I don't really see a problem with it.

We're going through an inheritance split at the moment. Our family is pretty amicable but there have still been a few moments. The person who died was my dad's mum (she left 3 sons and heaps of grandkids) and yet my mum can hardly contain herself to not go and clear out half the house? It makes me a bit sick actually, she seems to insensitive to anyone else's feelings and just wants the stuff.

My grandmother lived on the basis that she wanted to see her kids enjoy their inheritance while she was still alive. So she was very generous with Christmas gifts etc. When I got married I was given $1,000 towards furnishing my home (bedroom/lounge suite, she said) and I later presumed that was my inheritance. I'm 2nd generation so I wasn't expecting anything else. As it turns out, she left another $1,000 to all the grandkids (each) and the rest is to be divvied up in the 1st generation (her sons). I like that, and I think it's fair.

I wouldn't have contested a grandparent's Will but (not that I think this would happen) if I was left out of my own parent's will, at whatever age, I would consider it. I don't think I would contest it but I would certainly think it very unfair.

On the other hand, I don't expect my parents to scrimp so that they will have an inheritance left over. (But in answer to Annie's question, no my parents hardly give me anything except hand-me-down kids clothes with bung elastic. ) I won't be living a half-pint life so that my kids will have an inheritance some day, but I will definitely be living out of debt so that I will leave something behind for them.