Inheritance

[Familyshitshow]

Trying to keep this anonymous as possible for obvious reasons.

Darling Grandparent has left a shit show of a will and we’re not sure how to break it to the grandchildren:

Grandchild A: has got everything except some cash (the house/possessions/car/jewellery etc).
Grandchild B/C/D/E: has got the cash (not huge amounts) split between them.
Grandchild F: has been written out of the will (due to ‘personality differences’).
Grandchild G: nothing (but shouldn’t be too surprised due to behaviour somewhat recently but never that close).

Grandchild A knows they’ve inherited all and knew for a while but was a shock once the Will was written. Most of B/C/E knew it was coming that grandchild A would get all as they were the favoured.

Grandchild F has no idea that not only weren’t they particularly liked by their grandparent (silly life choices that the grand scheme of things aren’t a huge deal), that they need the funds more than all. Grandchild G will be very bitter but don’t really have a leg to stand on.

How on earth should the will be ‘read’ and should grandchild A split between all?

Sammylady, its because some people are petty, and enjoy knowing they will potentially destroy a family once they die. Its a nice way of saying f you back, only via a solicitor.

Sounds like Grandparent was a C. Grandparent C obviously relished any division in the family and wants it to continue long past their own death. What a truly awful way to treat your family. What would be great is if they could split the lot or use some of the funds to benefit the entire family, the absolute opposite to what Grandparent C wanted. A person who leaves a will like that knows exactly what they are doing and should not be remembered fondly.

Sammylady, its because some people are petty, and enjoy knowing they will potentially destroy a family once they die. Its a nice way of saying f you back, only via a solicitor

So, because some people are petty, you want everyone to have no control over what happens their assets when they die and to have the state decree what way they should be divided?? Talk about using a sledgehammer to crack a nut!

So, if the grandparent had treated the whole family equally and' fairly' by leaving every single penny to a charity would all the family reacted positively and lived happily ever after!!
I doubt it.

Wills are not read - that's an Agatha Christie mechanism that no longer happens

I imagine - as the OP put the word "read" in quotation marks, that she meant 'interpreted' or 'understood.' Not literally a formal public reading of the will.

Oh wow, a lot of replies to wake up to.

I don’t want to say how I’m related in the will as I’m trying to be anonymous as possible.

I think really I’m asking for advice how to break it to F in particular. F doesn’t have much of a clue, they know they’re not as well liked as A but nowhere in the same category as G. She will be devastated not only because she really needs the money, but more so that D/E haven’t bothered in years and still included.

WW3 has kicked off, some how F has no idea as nobody wants to deal with the aftermath of telling her but she’s jumped on the bandwagon of being against A. A is already starting to feel guilty but even if they did share their pot the damage has already been done.

I will be honest, I never see my cousins and I have 20 in total from both sides.
Just go with the will as it is
Tell them that is what is written down.
To let now to change how a dead person felt.

OP - you seem to be relishing the drama of it.

Grandparent skipped a generation in legacies under the will - some grandchildren have the good forty to benefit from this, others don’t. That’s it

If other grandchildren will hold it against A or dare to suggest splitting the assets despite a very clear will then A is better of excluding them completely from his/her life.

When I read the grabbier and more petulant and entitled of Inheritance threads on Mumsnet, I believe the testator’s will should simply provide for the entire estate to be converted to cash and BURNT in front of CF would be inheritees

Must be awful for everyone concerned. Even child A must feel awkward and embarrased. I have four kids and if one was favoured in this way I woukd be furious and try to make it fairer.

You can contest a will so do get legal advice - let the GC concerned make that decision get advice or not too

That sure is taking a grudge to the grave. Money turns us into arseholes. As the parents of the grandchildren I would be disappointed in my parent.

Does F know or not?

You talk about breaking it to F but then go on to say she’s jumped on the bandwagon against A. Tbh the only person she should be cross with is dead

She will be devastated not only because she really needs the money

Does she not understand that this money was never hers and she had no right to expect it?

Might be a harsh way for her to learn this lesson.

F isn't sounding very good now!

Are any of the GC siblings?

Are they very young/particularly sensitive?

Seems to be such a drama surrounding it all!

Jesus... that will is savage.

It would be interesting to know the ages of the GC. But I feel sorry for A - not their fault, and if the others decide to get nasty about this with A then perhaps the GP knew what they were doing when they made the will after all. It's a really difficult situation all round, but at the end of the day, it was the GP's decision to make and I guess they had their reasons. No one is automatically entitled to a share of someone else's wealth just by merit of being related to them.

The Will should be respected.
Simply shows 'A' the type of people the others are if they turn against him/her. Possibly shedding light onto why the grandparent didn't favour them or want them to have as much/ benefit from it at all.

The Will should be respected.
Simply shows 'A' the type of people the others are if they turn against him/her. Possibly shedding light onto why the grandparent didn't favour them or want them to have as much/ benefit from it at all

Absolutely. The grandparent may have actually been very shrewd.

"Need" shouldn't be a factor. No one should count on an inheritance.

If F made life choices that has left them less well off then that's on them.

Can you give us an approximate idea of the total estate A has inherited and the ages of the DGCs?

It is literally the will of the grandparents that their estate be distributed as stated. How people feel about that is not the point.
To those saying that it is a terrible thing to do to their grandchildren, perhaps there are reasons: I know people who have cut descendants out of their will having given them money in the past that has been squandered, used up on drugs and alcohol etc. Hard though it is, people have the right to dispose of their assets as they wish and it is the duty of the executors to make sure this happens.
It is the same when someone decides to leave everything split exactly between beneficiaries regardless of whether some have hurt and exploited them whilst others have been loyal carers for example. It might suck, but it is the dying person’s will/intention/wish.

Ordinary people don't do a 'reading of the Will' - that's only in Hollywood movies, not in RL.