Inheritance split - how to split when siblings have different numbers of children

[Benja1405]

Divorced parent died - two married sons in will, one has 3 children and one has 2. What do you feel is the fairest way for the estate to be split? Lawyer thought straight 50/50 between the two sons. Son with 3 children thinks 55/45 in his favour is fairer as he has more children. AIBU to think that this is unfair on the other son? Just interested in views, thanks.

50/50

If the will say 55/45 you go by that even if the 55 favours the sibling with less children.

50/50.

55/45 aparantly

Son with 3 children should be grateful he is receiving anything. With an entitled attitude like that he should have been disinherited.

50:50 is absolutely fair.

50/50 to each of the two sons. The two children need to be treated the same.

50/50. If the grandparents want to leave a bequest to the grandchildren they can do so (in which case I'd say each grandchild should get £XK) and then the balance split 50/50.

How ridiculous and entitled. 50/50 obviously. Why do people thing because they have kids/more kids, it gives them more rights over their siblings ?!

My FIL split evenly between his five children, despite different numbers of GCs (0, 2, 2, 3, 5).

50/50.

I have heard that people have given 'gifts' of say £1k or £2k to each GC but the rest of the estate is split equally between DC

The other thread for anyone that's not seen it:
www.mumsnet.com/talk/legal_matters/4565149-inheritance-split-how-to-split-when-siblings-have-different-numbers-of-children?page=1

It contains additional details. Which also explain why the lawyer is making suggestions when there is a specific will.

If the Will was written with only the two sons contemplated as beneficiaries, and it said 50/50 then 50/50.

This is why people should get good advice when writing a Will, so that the deceased's wishes are unambiguous.

Some people take account of grandchildren in explicitly in their Will, e.g. £10k to each grandchild, and the remainder 50/50 between the two children.

Huh? Well it's whatever is in will!

50/50 as 2 sons. It’s their inheritance not the grandchildren’s. Never heard of that being taken into account.

My parents left their estate a third to me a third to my brother and a third divided between the grandchildren

The will says two sons. It should be 50/50 in any case as.
It could be that son 2 would have liked to have more kids but his finances or health didn't permit. He shouldn't be penalised for it.
Gifts would've been made to the grandchildren if they want to and the parents (sons) can gift their children if they wish.

@Benja1405 what does the will say?

50/50

50:50 between the sons. It is up to them how they split it between themselves and their children

My mother left bequests of equal size to her 6 grandchildren (significant amounts), - one child has three children, one two and I have one - the remainder of the estate was then split equally between her 3 adult children.

She was a wonderful grandmother and loved her grandchildren equally. I am very happy with her actions, and it has never been an issue with my siblings.

50/50, keep the number of grandchildren out of it. The lawyer is correct.
And taking things to extremes, what if one son had nine children and the other had one? Would 90/10 be fair?

Anything other than 50/50 is absurd. What if one sibling had no children, would they get zero inheritance. How would that be fair?

Op, doesnt your other thread say the Will states 55/45 so why is a lawyer getting involved, keep your dignity and dont contest it for 5%, money seems to bring out the worst in some people. Is it the split or the fact the 55% brother helped draw up the Will that is bothering the lawyer .

50/50 between the sons. Even if 1 son had 5 dc and the other had 0, it should still be 50/50.

Equal split