Inheritance

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Inspired by a currently active thread, surely there must be some MNetters out there who haven't inherited anything from grandparents or parents? DF is still alive - I'm pretty sure DM, who passed away a couple of years ago, left everything to him, and I'm not holding out for any inheritance from DF as I feel it is safer to assume any assets could well be eaten up by care home fees or any unexpected events. I inherited nothing from any grandparents. Yes, you bet I am jealous of those who have been more fortunate than I in this area! Is it just a Mumsnet thing where people expect to, or have received, an inheritance?

My dad died when I was a baby and his estate was inherited by his wife (still legally married) and their son. My mum died and my sister had convinced her to change her will so she got it all. My grandparents were all deceased before my dad. So nope. No inheritance here

I got £50K when my mum died. I was in my 50s. It's funded two kids to university (paying for their accomodation for three years each while their student loan covers their living costs) plus a new boiler, a modest holiday for us all and minor repairs to the roof.

All very useful, but not a sum that changed our lives or allowed us to live mortgage free or anything. I'd still rather have had more years with my mum.

MIL will live forever. Probably outlive me. Her own mum was 103 when she died.

How on earth do family members get parents to change their wills in their favour? Sounds like taking advantage of a vulnerable parent or coercion. It seems to have happened a lot on here! Surely the ones left out can contest it.

More like shafted by all. Tale as old as time isn't it.x

At great expense and mental cost. Not necessarily worth it. Sometimes it's best to let it go.

TBF there aren't many people who haven't worked all their lives, most people who have their care funded by the state were working on low incomes and just didn't accumulate any wealth. Apparently around 50% of the population have less than a couple of grand saved.
Anyhow what is the alternative, they should be euthanised, turned out on the street? You'd probably find that they would just end up in the hospitals which just shifts the problem.
We live in a society with socialised care and medicine, if you don't want that, I guess the only alternative is to move country as currently all political parties in the UK support that.

You need to show that you’re dependent in some way on the inheritance you’ve missed out on to contest a will. If you have financial means available to you, you’re not likely to succeed.

My mum unfortunately has nothing to give me when she goes.

My dad i haven't spoken to in years but from what ive been told has spent all his on his new wife and 5+ holidays a year!

Grandparents didnt have much. Left everyone about £2k each

I was lucky to be able to save a deposit for my house myself - was bloody hard and its getting even harder so I feel for the younger generation.

Im happy at least I should hopefully be able to leave something for DS but who knows. Care is incredibly expensive and only getting worse.

At the moment there are not that many people who have never worked, but moving forward, how many do you think there will be? Look at the statistics, in another twenty/ thirty years the government of the day might not have the options they have today because there will be so many people who have never worker.
Like I said before, I understand that a lot of people have worked and not been able to save for various reasons, they should be well looked after, they have contributed regardless of not having the means to save etc. it’s the people who don’t work, won’t work I’m objecting to.

The government has massive problems in the future due to the ageing population and the fact that fewer workers are supporting each retired person. This is already evident in Japan, Italy etc. The numbers behind this are startling. The universal cradle to grave support will never last

Honestly a lot of people on minimum wage will never be able to save and thats incredibly sad.

They work harder than a lot of people on much more that I know.

The reality is not every one can have a rich career. Our society wouldnt work.. but they should still be entitled to care.
As with people who CANT work.

Im totally with you. I admire anyone who goes out and works whatever they do. Its the ones who cant be arsed that make my blood boil.

If it is a Mumsnet thing then I think it just says something about the MN demographic in general.
My parents spent their lives trying to get back on their feet after the war, bringing up 4 children while living on a single wage (because they wanted to have one parent at home with the children while they were growing up) and providing us with the best life they could while paying bills, rent etc.
They only had about £1000 to leave each of us and we didn't expect any more.
I think things are harder especially for the latest generation reaching adulthood, so we are set on helping them get the right career path to be able to support themselves (or in the case of our neuro diverse young people, trying to ensure they have the stability and support they need).
Just leaving money will not help them manage life's challenges, in fact it is likely to create more situations for them to be vulnerable.

Because of the unique way Ireland works as a tax haven it has the luxury of being able to afford to cap care home fees as it is making out like a bandit on all the corporation tax from the multinationals who came there on sweetheart deals. The UK doesn't get a single cent in corporation tax from the likes of Google/Meta etc. because they profit shift to Ireland. This is why Ireland can't decide whether to pay off its national debt or set up a sovereign wealth fund with its massive budget surplus. The UK doesn't have that luxury we are adding to our debt massively each year and so the state can't afford to bail people out.

Rather than going into a home people could choose a one way ticket to Switzerland if they want to keep the estate intact. Easy for me to say now as I've got probably 3 decades before it's a likely decision, but I think I'd rather have a nice party, say goodbye and then hop on a plane to Dignitas and know my kids wouldn't have to watch my sad decline.

Unfortunately you cant guarantee being able to hop on that plane at the appropriate time or that you will be accepted for help when you get there.

"Broadly speaking, Articles 114 and 115 of the Swiss penal code have been interpreted to mean that assisted deaths can only be provided to those who are:

• Mentally competent and who have given considerable consideration to their wish
• Are physically capable of ending their lives themselves
• Have constant and unbearable (physical or mental) suffering with no prospect of improvement
• Have been confirmed by a physician, as having no reasonable alternative to reduce their suffering.

Notably, this means that Switzerland does not limit the option of an assisted death only to Swiss residents. Hence it is estimated that more than one person a week travels from the UK to Switzerland for an assisted death. "

Sadly, it’s estimated 70% of people in care homes in the UK have dementia. By its very nature, you cant go to Dignitas as you won’t be seen as having the mental capacity to consent.

The UK assisted dying bill also left out those with dementia.