Can someone refuse an inheritance?

[PintOfThatCatPiss]

Long story short my DSister is very LC with our mum.
I was too, but we’ve rebuilt a good relationship in the last few years.
DM told me at the weekend that she’s re-done her will, and I’m the executor.
She’s left everything 60/40 to me and DSis.
My DSis in the past has refused £20 for Xmas when I’ve passed on an card from my DM.
Can she refuse an inheritance when my DM dies? And will this cause a lot of difficultly for me to sort out?
DSis and I have a good relationship, but I can imagine her totally ignoring the inheritance.

Years since I studied this, but I think she can refuse it and the amount/items will just revert to her estate and be distributed accordingly.

Dsis could always take it and donate to a charity.

Yes - or just give the money to a charity

I think she can but she would need to sign a legal document refusing it, shouldn't cause you too much of a problem though.

I wrote a letter to the lawyer dealing with my grandmothers estate and refused it and asked for it to be given to my younger siblings. (No issues, just that they could do with it more than me). Haven’t heard anything back about it so I assume it’s being done.

Thank you. I’d like her to give it to charity if she doesn’t want it. But am a bit worried she’ll just totally ignore anything to do with it.
I guess that means it’ll come back to me to donate instead.
Thanks that’s really helpful

Dsis might feel a bit different if it's a respectable amount of money. It's all very well to refuse £20, but if it's say, £1000+ she might suddenly forget her high principles.

I refused part of mine as my Father made a mistake in the wording and accidentally left me more than my siblings. I think the solisiter just redistriputed the amount between us.

yeah, it might be a different matter with 50k+
She is very very stubborn though!
Hopefully won’t have to deal with this for a long time. It was just niggling at me.

Iknow it seems a bit mad that I’m likening reaction to a £20 Xmas gift to an inheritance, but she really is that stubborn and determined about things.

Yes, she can. YOu should get it in writing at the time in case a year later she sues for not having had it however. YOu can also do a wll variatin at the time - they are very common - my father did one when our mother died; a Labour MP's mother did one; Princess Diana's heirs did not - they are to the effect that IF all those left the money agree it can be distributed in a different way from originally set out in the will (English law by the way - always check if it might be in Scotland which has different laws)

Will 60/40 not make things worse? To my mind it says your mother thinks less of her.

Would she take it if your mother left it to you and then you chose to give her half?

I believe if you are on means tested benefits and refuse an inheritance, the DWP will treat you as if you had taken the money and alter your benefits accordingly.

Good point although there is no suggestion of benefits here and most people aren't on benefits - particularly those in families leaving inheritances.

It is a point those with a disabled child should consider - some parents kight choose to leave the mnoey to the other children not that one to ensure the benefits situation is not affected.