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?

Our will leaves everything to our child, I'm of the opinion that whatever I haven't spent when it's my time will go to my son. I can't imagine not giving what I have to my child

I would expect to inherit my dads house unles he has to sell it for his care later in life. He's early sixties and fit and healthy so I don't plan my life around it or anything. I'm not counting on it, but I expect he would. He has mentioned he's leaving my sister who went n/c with him years ago nothing.

I used to think I would but at the date they are spending, I will be paying for them!

@MyFamilyAndOtherAnimals1, yes it’s a bit unfair - 4 girls & 1 boy and the boy is to inherit the lot (or, it’s looking more likely, his children - which includes a girl, and none of whom have any interest in farming so it will likely be divided and sold at that stage anyway. There are 5 other grandchildren). However, my parents have given us all money for house deposits (a site for my brother) and I don’t like to think of them dying so I try not to think about it too much. The sexism and inequity is annoying though!

My parents are well off, in a way that I can never hope to be. I will get nothing, because when one of them dies, the other will change their will to benefit their favourite child (in neither case is this me!).
I'm actually almost hoping that they have to pay for care and their houses and other assets have to pay for that.

Nope. Nada.

@TheWomanTheyCallJayne. Your parents might be better giving you a separate letter to give money to charities. My friend had to execute her aunts will and the charities literally harassed her for their money although probate was still in progress. It’s put me off ever leaving money to a charity.

Make sure your will is legal
For your will to be legally valid, you must:
be 18 or over
make it voluntarily
be of sound mind
make it in writing
sign it in the presence of 2 witnesses who are both over 18
have it signed by your 2 witnesses, in your presence
If you make any changes to your will you must follow the same signing and witnessing process.
You cannot leave your witnesses (or their married partners) anything in your will.
If you marry after you make a will, it voids the will.

Yes and no. I sincerely hope ddad will do what he said and spend the rest or leave it to the grandkids (he inherited from grandparents and it seems a good system to get a good start in life when you need it - he has also gifted us money in the past). But as dsis and dbil don't have kids he might find it hard not to leave them anything or to leave them something and not us. Whatever, we are all good and will give any inheritance to dc.

Yes. My parents will probably leave me around £150k. DPs parents and aunt will leave him assets and money worth around £2million. They've already given us £600k.

DP would be very upset if he didn't get it, it will change our lives.

Doubt I'll get anything more than paperwork and a mountain of family photos from my parents.
InLaws we may inherit from if MiL dies last. Step FiL will probably leave everything to SiL who is his daughter.

Yes, because my parents have both given me copies of their wills and named my brother and me as executors. Of course, it's possible that they could change them but I think it's very unlikely and I would certainly expect them to explain that decision if they did. Also, while some of the inheritance may be impacted by care costs if needed, there's quite a lot tied up in ways that wouldn't be.

Not sure about my parents. I think they will leave most things to my brother, he's younger, doesn't have a partner or children and lives at home so they will be more likely to leave anything to him.

IL's are very open about their will, as is DH's Grandad. IL's travel a lot and MIL is often convinced she won't come back for some reason. She's been open about her will because DH will be trustee for two of his younger brothers.

Would I expect it? No. We are set up and comfortable and I'd prefer my parents enjoy their money while they can than think about how it'll get spent when they're not here.

My dad in law passed away 3 years ago and my mum in law passed away last year.
Extremely comfortable, lived in the family home worth a fortune and dad in law had a gold plated index linked pension of which they didn't spend much and had a very healthy bank balance.
They left the entire lot to their favourite grandson, despite having 3 kids and several other grandkids who all visited regularly and did their odd jobs etc.
Favourite grandson barely had any contact with them.
No one else got so much as a teaspoon.
As with everything else in life, expect nothing and anything you do get is a bonus.

Yes. My parents will probably leave me around £150k

How do you know? What if one of your parents requires years of care before they die?

Yes I did expect to partially inherit basically value of a house, but no I didn't. I've struggled not to feel angry as there's nothing I could do about it but it stank.

Yep, only child to parents who are committed to one another so no chance of their assets being split through divorce/new wife/step children etc.

I'm very comfortable financially so if they have a blast with it then great. Bit they're careful so I know they won't.

Pressed send too soon.
I don't expect anything from my parents even though they own their own home and are financially comfortable. However if I do get something then that will be ok too.

usually on threads on Mumsnet about wills everyone usually says that it's the parents' money and they shouldn't expect anything.

Those things aren't incompatible though. Of course it's my parents' money, and they should spend it however they like. But I would expect dsis and I to get whatever is left. Not expect in the sense of feeling entitled to get it. Expect in the sense that I know that's what will happen.

My mum has quite a lot to leave but she can’t stand me so is leaving it all to my brother and my eldest son.

At least I know I have to work for my pension

My mom said she was splitting everything in her will between me and my sister then hooked up with an alkie parasite I expect to be disinheritied and my sister and possibly my daughter to benefit IF he allows it but me? Never

I suspect 1/3 of older adults have no assets, they rent

My DPs were council tenants and when they died, I was pleasantly surprised to find they had just over £20k in the bank after funeral costs. I just have one sibling, so we got £10k each (which I somewhat resented as I spent 3 weeks of my life clearing the house of nearly 30 years of hoarding, as well as deal with all the arrangements for both funerals, all on my todd).

DP's DM is also a council tenant and on benefits, so nothing to come from there, either (and he has 3 siblings, so even if there's a couple of grand, it'll be split at least 4 ways).

DSS is going to be loaded when his parents cark it if they don't end up in care homes. His mother owns 2 properties, mortgage free, with a combined value of £1.3m, plus investments, insurances etc. Our house will give him another £400k, and he bought his own house at 21, thanks to a trust fund left him by his other granny.

I think DP and I should skip a generation and leave our estate in trust for DP's DGD. DSS won't need it.

I don't expect anything. However I've seen my mum's will and at the moment I inherit everything (my dad is dead and I'm an only child). I've also seen my inlaws's will as they asked me to proof read it and dh gets a 3rd (3 siblings so a 3rd each).

I know in my parents will they leave everything to be split evenly between my siblings and I.
So unless that changes I'll get something.

Yes in theory my parents estate will go to me and my sister with small legacies going to grandchildren. However, my parents will almost certainly need care. They have many health conditions, have made some poor decisions about housing and staying healthy and when my dad dies, my mum will need assisted living as a minimum. I’m fully expecting there to be nothing left. If they died more quickly, the estate would be substantial. To be honest, it isn’t the money side that I’ve ever really thought about, I’ve always been more preoccupied by the messy situation that’s likely to arise if one of them dies. They won’t leave the family home unless one of them is dead however unsuitable it becomes. I’d rather they spent their money ensuring they have a higher quality of life but they won’t.