Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be pissed about Inheritance

99 replies

TheMotherOfAllBeeches · 15/10/2017 09:22

My Mum and Dad have been divorced for 18 years.
They were only married for 15 years.
My mother has now been married to her current husband for 9 years but together with him for 16 years.

My parents are still friends and I have recently found out from my mother that in their divorce agreement, she gets everything when my dad dies.
(My Dad is 15 years older than her so this is likely)

I am very low contact with my mother because she is an emotionally abusive and controlling woman and she is very grabby when it comes to money. (she was like that with her brother and his wife when both my grandparents died)

My dad is very old fashioned (he is 80) and will not discuss finances / his will etc.

AIBU to think my mother is being insanely grabby to get everything my dad (who still works!) has made for himself when they were together such a short time relatively and he’s worked hard for his comfort and life and then she grabs it all & leaves my brother and I with nothing!

Because I am low contact and tbh probably going NC soon, I know that she will write me out of her will too.

I also think she will TRY not to let us have a say in the funeral and packing up his belongings when in fact we are his next of kin.

I’m considering contesting the will when my dad dies, is that unreasonable?

OP posts:
TheMotherOfAllBeeches · 15/10/2017 10:19

My brother is on speaking terms with her but he agrees with me on this, he is a pleaser though and just keeps quiet about things for a quiet life (his wife doesn’t see my mother at all as she’s been horrible to her).

As crazy as it sounds, I hope she is just shit stirring. The sooner this woman is out of my life the better!

OP posts:
daisychain01 · 15/10/2017 10:23

In order for your Dad to leave everything to your Mum he would need to have made a new will after his divorce

It depends what is meant by “everything”. It is feasible that the terms of the divorce settlement that pension policies, life insurance maturities, savings and investments accounts could be signed over to the benefit of your DM, if the Court ruled that she sacrificed her own earning potential to bring up her DC.

Those agreements could not be changed by a new Will. You may find that you are automatically beneficiaries of a % of the above financial arrangements and your DF has chosen not to start a discussion about it.

His divorce solicitor would have recommended the above division of benefits, to mitigate the risk/possibility of people contesting the Will, with all the upset and expense it would cause.

It would be very strange if you had been completely cut out of his will if you have a good relationship with him.

Mittens1969 · 15/10/2017 10:24

It does sound like your mother is shit stirring from what you’ve said. And you shouldn’t let it bother you. Do what you’ve said about going NC and that will hopefully show your DF that there will be no resolving of differences between you and your mother.

CalmanOnSpeeddial · 15/10/2017 10:24

If he had a valid will, written post-divorce, leaving everything to your DM, you’re in England or Wales, and you’re not financially dependent on him then I can’t see what possible grounds you’d have to challenge the will. Is your mother’s husband older or younger than her?

Greenleaf54321 · 15/10/2017 10:26

absolutly none of your business, you have no right what so ever to expect half a penny from your Dad

OutToGetYou · 15/10/2017 10:34

Seems incredibly unlikely that was set in the divorce, a will can be changed at any time.

She may have been awarded a lifetime interest in some asset which then passes to her when he dies, that's different.

Sounds like nonsense to me.

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 15/10/2017 10:37

I would be asking yourself why your dad isn't leaving anything to your brother and yourself. And the irony of your mother being grabby

I completely agree.

Badders08 · 15/10/2017 10:38

Contest the will

TheMotherOfAllBeeches · 15/10/2017 10:39

@Greenleaf54321 I don’t and have never expected anything from him. But for him to give anything to his abusive ex wife over his children and grandchildren is what’s pissed me off.

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 15/10/2017 10:40

To be honest,it’s you that sounds grabby here. I wonder if that’s why your father is refusing to discuss it with you. I don’t think you can successfully contest this and it would cost you to do so.

Mittens1969 · 15/10/2017 10:43

Are you upset that he didn’t leave the money to you and your DCs or that he left it to her? How would you feel if he told you he was going to leave it all to the RSPCA?

MrsCharlieD · 15/10/2017 10:44

I'd be bloody outraged OP. I love my parents dearly but yes we discuss Wills and who us getting what. It doesn't mean I have no l9ve or affection for my parents. They want to take care of us when they're gone, as I do my own dc.

Unfortunately as your dad won't discuss it I don't see what you can do but I don't think yabu.

SleepingStandingUp · 15/10/2017 10:44

Agree with the pp who said just tell your Dad she's bragging and shit stirring about it. Not looking to discuss it Dad but i think you should know Mom is going around bragging about X

Badders08 · 15/10/2017 10:51

Ugh.
Money.
The trouble it causes!
I'm currently LC with my mum due to her giving my brother £1000s over the years since dad died
Last week found out she has given him £10k for a house deposit
Hard not to feel hurt by that
I suppose some would call me grabby but I'm just worried. I don't trust my brother.

Witsender · 15/10/2017 10:54

People have such odd ideas about this. The main reason people get upset about unfair inheritances isn't because of the money itself, but what it signifies.

So, that one sibling is more important than the other, or in this case, that an abusive long ago ex spouse is more important than children. How can these messages not be hurtful?!

Badders08 · 15/10/2017 10:57

Exactly
I don't care a jot about the money - it's the use of it as a reminder of my non status in the family

TheMotherOfAllBeeches · 15/10/2017 10:59

I would be very happy if he left it to charity! Seriously, that would make me feel like he was going to be remembered in a great way and I could have a bench put somewhere with that on it for him.

I don’t need nor want anything from him, as I have previously said, it’s the fact that he’s giving his ABUSIVE ex wife everything and snubbing his children and grandchildren.

My dad is 80, he is very old fashioned and does not discuss money at all, it’s not something that’s done apparently.

OP posts:
Badders08 · 15/10/2017 11:03

Do you think your mother has coerced him?
(As I think has happened with my brother)

Badders08 · 15/10/2017 11:05

I'm contemplating telling mum I no longer wish to be a beneficiary
The way she's going there won't be anything left anyway...

Mittens1969 · 15/10/2017 11:08

I thought that was what you were saying, OP; I just thought that if you spelt it out you’d get the posters off your back who were saying that you were sounding grabby. Hopefully that’s nailed it. Smile

AndrewJames · 15/10/2017 11:08

I hear you OP, some pp have missed the point entirely. It's not about the money at all, if I were you I'd rather he gambled it all away on one night of roulette than give it to her.

Inheritance is not always about the money at all. I don't want my fathers money, but it still hurts to know that in his will it all goes to my brothers, and not a single thing for me or my children. It's a power thing.

Badders08 · 15/10/2017 11:16

It's very difficult prove coercion sadly
Mum's convinced my brother will pay her back...😕

DaisyRaine90 · 15/10/2017 11:18

When will people learn that peoples wills are none of their business??

If your not in the will your not in it. I’m sure he has his reasons, and he may just be honouring something he promised many years ago 😊

ShellyBoobs · 15/10/2017 11:20

Are you in England?

I thought USA?

British adults don't say they're 'pissed' unless they've been drinking. They would say 'pissed off'.

TheMotherOfAllBeeches · 15/10/2017 11:22

Sorry yes I am in England, I lived in America for a few years and picked up a few habits, lol.

OP posts:
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.