AIBU to refuse inheritance so my estranged father cannot benefit?

[Kate8889]

My father lives in my home country (Russia) and he would inherit 1/4 of my assets if I die before him, and same in reverse, if he passes away first. He abandoned me and my mom when I was 5 to go into a cult, hasn't helped in any way since and communicated only to ask me to forgive his child support debt.

So far I haven't had much in my name there except a very modest bank account. Unfortunately, my grandma is not doing well and wishes to write me into her will for a country cabin we have.

I told my grandma that because he would automatically get a portion if anything were to happen to me, I do not want anything in my name in my home country, to give it to my mom. She is very offended and thinks she's giving me this big gift.

Another consideration is that I would have to take leave from work without much notice and go and accept the inheritance, which would be mega stressful. My mom is all but retired so shed be fine to go.

Why concern yourself about what will happen after your death, it won't be any of your concern. Just take the cabin, please your Grandma and enjoy it.

Isn't the life expectancy for men really low in Russia? Odds are low that he will survive you.

True complete testator freedom is not that common in the world . Not being able to disinherit your children and spouse is very common. It applies on Scotland. Though not in England. France and many other countries have rules about inheritance, a will is for things outside heirship rules. But you can't write a will denying people their minimum inheritance rights. There may be rules to stop people selling things for £1 to avoid inheritance only an expert in Russian inheritance can give you proper advice.

You’re Russian and you live in the US, why are you posting on a UK site about inheritance, where the laws are completely different?

Sell it to a friend for a quid... But state you get to live in it..

Can you ask it's demolished as part of your will? Or give it away in your lifetime?

This doesn't make sense. The cabin doesn't have much value so you can't sell it but you don't want your dad - who will probably die before you anyway - to inherit one quarter of something that is so worthless you can't sell it? Huh?

Is your grandmother your father’s mother? If so, your father will likely receive a share of it anyway.

If you do accept the inheritance, and take sole possession of the dacha, then you don’t physically have to go to Russia. You may find this useful:

https://russianagency.com/en/inheritance-in-russia/

It probably isn’t literally worthless, but the red tape OP would potentially have to deal with to actually sell it and collect the money could simply be more trouble than it’s worth.

Because she isn’t asking for legal advice, and understands the inheritance laws in Russia already?

Read?

What?

Could you set up a trust (or is there such a thin as a living trust) in advance of the inheritance and leave the property in trust to your child(children) if you have any or to someone else you care about? Would this keep it in your control and (if a living trust exists) would this keep it out of his hands for the lifespan of those benefitting from such a trust?

As you live in the UK, surely if you sold the cabin, once the money is in your possession, whatever happens to it on your death will be governed by the law of wherever in the UK you live (England and Wales, Scotland or NI).

So your Dad won’t automatically get it?

Edited - sorry I missed one of your updates. I’m sorry to hear of your condition.

Interested that there’s still a CM debt owed to you after you turn 18 though!

This would be a waste of money. The OP clearly knows about inheritance laws, what she will inherit & how she would have to collect it.

the issue is that even if she sold the property, she would find it extremely difficult to get the money into the US. This is due to current sanctions on Russia.

i mean that website does not even mention such things which concerns me.

OP I would inherit to please grandma then transfer to your mum or just not worry about if you will die first. At the end of the day it won’t matter cos you wo5 be here. Strange laws in Russia I see where they override a will if they want to.

Is your grandmother your father's mother or your mother's mother?

This is likely to have a substantial effect on how she feels about your reasons - if your father is her son she probably still feels some loyalty to him even if she knows he's behaved badly to you.

Nope. She is my maternal grandmother

Edited as question was answered but jeez, I thought wills were wills. However know in scotland you technically can't disinherit a child.

Unfortunately there's nothing like that, if you're disabled you can't be completely disinherited by a close relative, we both have minor disabilities

I think maybe it’s hard for us to advise when we know very little of the law or the culture re inheritance. I’m sorry your dad treated you so poorly though.

You live in the UK. Write a will. Thats what’s legally binding.

Sorry I have just seen this. My father died in Spain so everything came under Spanish law.

@Kate8889

I'm curious as to why, now that you've said you'd prefer it, she doesn't want to will it to your mother.

I'm in the US and just took a 'Google' at transferring money from Russia to the US. UGH! What a nightmare of red tape in both countries! Someone suggested (if you have Russian citizenship) transferring the money to a bank in a third country to get it out of Russia, but I don't know if that would actually work. And that wouldn't get you out of the US red tape (and taxes).

Although with that Dipshit we have in the WH now, moving money out of Russia may not be as hard as it once was. s/

Could you not simply accept it with grace, then gift it to your mother?

That would also involve bureaucracy hell

Basically Id have to go across the Estonian border 10-12 times, each time with 10k in money. Then somehow wore it from Estonia to US