Do you 'Expect' to Benefit from Your Parent's Will

[Pembsgirl]

My parents had nothing, so having no 'expectations' of an inheritance in years to come, I worked hard for everything I've got, but so many people own their own homes now, so am I being unreasonable in thinking that the vast majority of people these days 'expect' to benefit from their parent's Will, and wonder how they'd feel if parents left it all to people other than their children?

No, but my dad has literally nothing...

Well, I know my mother will remember me in her will as she is open about it. However, I don’t anticipate losing her anytime soon and would not plan a life around what I may/may not have in future. I don’t count it in my own pension planning for example.

I’d be disappointed. I expect them to spend every last penny on themselves and having fun.

I actually think it might be better if she bypassed me and my sibling and left everything to her grandchildren instead.

Nope. I hope they can leave enough to pay for their funerals. Not a lack of planning or hard work just ill health.

I imagine my in laws may leave something to DH and DS. But that’s none of my business at all. They may choose to leave it all to charity: their choice.

We don’t have lots, but I would downsize when older so that our son can have the capital to buy his own house and use it while we are still alive.

My mum is very generous with her money: she says she would rather see us enjoy it while she’s alive

As an only child I like to think I will but as my mother has told me she's sold all her jewellery because she assumes I wouldn't want it I think it's unlikely. She rents her home so there is nothing else but that's not something I'd rely on anyway. It's her money and stuff to do what she chooses with.

I don’t count on it - but yes, if no intervening factors, as one of 6 I expect an 17% share of the proceeds of sale from my parents’ house. My parents expect it too.

Honestly? I’d be pretty pissed off if they left it to anyone but their children. It’s their money. I wouldn’t be pissed off if they pissed it away on cruises for them. But they benefits from their own parents (in a small way, we’re not a wealthy family!) and I’d be pissed off if a next door neighbour or cat sanctuary got the lot!

I know both my parents have left myself and my sisters money/property in their will

however

we've also had discussions around what happens if they need to pay for care or want to go on a cruise or whatever they want to do and we're unequivocal that they should spend their money on themselves first. If there's anything left then fine but I dont expect it and if they decide to will it to a cats home or something, its their money

No i don't expect anything from my parents, They have worked hard all their lives for what they have so I would much rather they spend it on themselves now whilst they are still fit and healthy.

My dad died recently leaving everything to his wife, when she passes I will inherit from her. Provided it hasn't been spent on care it may be around £100k which would be a quarter of the estate.

Again unless spent on care I will inherit from my mother and step father. I think it would be in the region of £250k but could be a lot more.

I don't expect anything but I know that whatever mum has will be coming my way as I have no siblings and dad's already gone, and it'll be under the inheritance tax threshold. Mum tries to talk about it with me constantly 'just in case' but I shut down the conversation, I don't want to think about it, it's too soon.

Not really. My mum has zero pension and has not really worked since I was born, and my dad has been made redundant from several jobs over the past few years. They have a mortgage and they’re now in their late 50s. I am an only child and honestly their financial situation frightens me because I’m not yet in a comfortable enough position myself to support them, and also because they won’t tell me straight how bad it actually is!

I don’t expect to inherit much, if anything, and never have.

I have a copy of my parents will so unless we fall out and they change it (I very much doubt that) then I know I and my sibling will. My parents are quite open about it. We won’t get everything, they have left various bits to other people/charities etc
If they decided to spend it all now I would be fine about it, it’s theirs. If they decided to leave it all to other people I would be hurt because it means there was some kind of rift and that would be painful.

Mum no she’ll piss it all away on herself and boyfriend. Which would be fine but my nana literally didn’t have a pot to piss in but still left her 6 children £300 each in 1976 which apparently was a deposit on a house so not like she didn’t get help in life.
Dad well this is interesting. He lives with his wife of 16 years and gives her “keep money” couple of hundred a week. He has a very healthy pension which I know he withdrew 25% of which has gone on house hold improvements, moving costs etc. However my step sister has made it very clear all assets will be going to her no matter who dies first. So is my dad out on his arse if it’s her. I guess we will find out.

Yes. There is no way my parents would leave the majority of their money to anyone but their children. How would I feel if they did? Totally astonished, since they have spoken about it to us pretty regularly since they started to get older. Equally I can't imagine leaving my money/house to anyone but my children.

I wouldn't plan anything around it though - nobody knows how expensive the end of their life will prove to be.

My mum and dads house is worth about £1 million.

I have 1 sister

Not banking on it though as they may need care or one might s

Die and sell sorry

I'd be shocked if my parents left their money to anyone except each other, me or my brother, or our DC (except small gifts / charitable donations obviously). Not because I want or need the money, but because of the emotional implication that they didn't want to leave it to me - that would be really hurtful.

No problem with them skipping me and my brother and leaving it directly to their grandchildren if that's what they want to do.

My parents and my in laws have long since departed. We didn't think about it but I suppose, if we had, we would have been surprised had they not left us anything. My mum didn't have much to leave but it was a little windfall which was nice, would rather have had her alive and well.
Husband's parents were better off, again would have preferred them to be around a bit longer but both mums were in their eighties when they died.

My DF left just enough money to pay for his funeral and a small amount to each of his grandchildren. He had a £20k life insurance policy that stopped when he was 80. He died 2 months after his birthday! He'd have been so mad!

My dm has a will leaving all her money (not loads) to us, her children. It's one of those wills where her DH (she married him in her 60s) will be able to stay in the house (in her name only) if he outlives her, then it will go to us again.

I know I'll get whatever my parents have left when they pass away - there are no other children and all the other family are overseas.

But then again if they have to pay for care homes etc. there may not be much there anyway!

I wondered if I would have to sell my Mum's house to pay for care, but in the end she died before that was necessary. So I have inherited and as an only child, all of her assets came to me. It didn't make me rich, but it has given me security.

DH's parents have died and had nothing. We've only my mum left now. She's v comfortable and quite rightly enjoying a nice life with great holidays while she can.

Dsis and i would get whatever's left after care fees etc. She's told us that. Long way off yet i hope

My Dsis and I didn't expect anything. We wanted our parents to spend it on themselves and have long happy lives. When that didn't happen, we fully expected it to go on care costs - first for our dad, who needed dementia nursing care, then after he died for my mum. We were heavily involved with services when my mum died and so we are inheriting - about £100K each. We'd have preferred a stack of happy photos, to be honest - what happened to my parents in terms of illness was awful.