Granddaughters left with £200,000 legal bill after arguing over £50 inheritance

[SerendipityJane]

Pretty certain there was an Ealing comedy about this ....

https://metro.co.uk/2024/05/21/granddaughters-angry-getting-50-will-now-face-200-000-legal-bill-20878694

A good example of the just because you want an inheritance doesn't mean you should have an inheritance. It serves them right.

Why would you give a six figure sum to five people you have no relationship with and haven’t seen in six years, when you can leave it all to your actual children instead? It’s not like he left it to the local hedgehog sanctuary.

How far out do you go? If estranged grandchildren are entitled to a share over your living children, how about cousins you have no contact with, or great-nephews you’ve never met? Do they all get a share?

If it's taught anyone that an inheritance is a gift and not a right and that the idea of contesting a will is best left to TV dramas it'll be money well spent. Damned expensive way to learn a lesson, though.

I think it's rather sad that grandchildren are fighting their family over money that wasn't theirs, from a grandparent they weren't bothered with whilst alive.

I think it's grim that you think that. Unbelievably entitled.

I think it is grim to think people have to visit just to get their inheritance though

It was not 'their inheritance.' It was his money. To bequeath as he saw fit; which he did.

Moral of the story, go visit grandparents

Disagree. Moral of the story: Don't expect an inheritance as your "right". You are not owed anything.

I think the opposite to this.
Just because you are related you shouldn't expect to inherit.
I def think the relationship is far more important than being related. It seems they didn't bother with their grandfather when he was alive but expected to be left something when he died. It class that as grim

And don't have a will reading to get back at your family, either.

How unfortunate. Still, it's only £40k each.

So people should just be entitled to other peoples money when they don't even visit them? That's ridiculous if that's what you meant

Absolutely the right decision. Let that be a lesson to all the "I'm due a large inheritance" crowd on here!

£ 100k upfront. Ouch.

And don't have a will reading to get back at your family, either

I know! How sad to think that some people daydream about getting "revenge" after they're dead.

I've solved the whole inheritance dilemma by making it clear to my only (adult) child that he will inherent a modest sum of money after my death with the rest going to charity. I don't believe in generational wealth and would rather improve the quality of life of many people than make one person wealthy.

So my hypothetical grandchildren can visit me because they want to or ignore me for the same reason. They'll not be receiving any money either way😂

More people should take this in.

Nasty greedy women who didn't give a stuff about their grandad.

Really?! It's not THEIR inheritance though. They didn't care about him so why should he have left them anything. You sound like them, entitled.

I think that's (potentially) quite a selfish attitude.

If you inherited money from your parents, who are you to arbitrarily decide to give that money to charity, just so you can have a warm fluffy feeling for indulging your political beliefs?

Some people never learn.
The only people that are going to get rich on this are the lawyers 🙄

Aye – all the people saying ‘serves them right for being greedy’ don’t seem to get that it was probably just quite an upsetting situation too. I think a lot of inheritance disputes are as much about sadness and wanting the expressed wishes and relationship honoured as they are cash.

@ThisOldThang are you serious? Telling the poster that they're "indulging their political beliefs" by potentially helping a lot of people through a charity donation. Absolutely ridiculous

This can be true at times when the deceased was coerced or manipulated into changing a will, and that's usually when there's success in challenging it. For something like this, though, when the deceased clearly did exactly what he wanted, no court battle will change the relationship. Even if they'd succeeded in getting a money, the fact remains that he was compos mentis and didn't want them to have it. You can't fight that.

@ThisOldThang I didn't inherit any money. And I don't see it as a political belief at all. I'm no Socialist, lol. Money that I've earned in my lifetime is mine to do with as I please. But if I had inherited it I'd still feel the same.

Many young people who stand to inherit tend to have a sense of entitlement and can be unmotivated. Not all, of course. My son has no expectation of a large inheritance so will not be disappointed. No student loans, financial help with a down payment on a home...that's plenty of privilege for any one person. He neither needs or expects any more financially.

I wonder if the grandchildren thought that they should be included because of s33 of the wills act 1837? I would like to read the judgement on this case.

https://www.hunterslaw.com/insights/julia-richards-examines-section-33-of-the-wills-act-1837-in-wealthbriefing/