My Dad married a woman twenty years younger, he will likely die before her. Does that mean I am unlikely to inherit?

[00K]

I think it does doesn’t it?

But I do think finances within families should be discussed more openly than they are. People seem to think it’s morbid or inappropriate, when in fact it’s very prudent.

I think so too. I have known a lot of families where a business or home has been passed to the eldest son, with alternative provisions made for the other children, and, even though many might see real issues with primogeniture, and it is less of a guiding principle in inheritance than it once was, what always strikes me is the girls and younger sons in these families are probably more at ease with it than onlookers, simply, I think, because it was made so clear to them from as soon as they were old enough to discuss it.

Not that I would wish death upon her! This made me giggle!

I doubt social services would let your dcs be homeless.

It depends what he writes in his will. He could leave her everything or he could share it out.

My dad also married a much younger woman.
Not once has it crossed my mind where his money will go.

@Boysnme My siblings and I are in the same situation. His widow even refused to hand over items of purely sentimental value that had belonged to our late mother. We were told, when our DF became terminally ill, that their mirror wills specified that assets would be left to the surviving partner, then divided among the children on the death of the second. That seemed fair enough to us, and besides, it was a traumatic time for all concerned, and it would have been crass to bring up the question of inheritance.
I've since seen the will, and while I'm no legal expert, it doesn't seem to me to say anything like what my dad thought it meant. In any case, his widow stopped speaking to us and began giving away large sums to her own DC. So we don't expect to see any of it.

I'm afraid I see that as really naughty of the wife.

Not really, very long story that probably needs a thread of it's own

Because in the real world, people think about this kind of thing

I agree provided that "its none of your business" remains an acceptable answer.

What if she is the executor of will and just ignores it, if it doesn't favour her.

Sadly it can happen. I always think it’s wrong my exes great uncle a millionaire left all his to his girlfriend, not even wife or mother of the kids, and they got a measly amount compared to 3 million, maybe enough to buy a new Tesla! The family was furious about that. I would be too

dads wife had a good job and a house but sold the house and moved in with dad. I’ve no idea how she has managed to not work for twenty years.

So she clearly brought a lot of money in with her. Which is how she's managed not to work and to pay for holidays for them both. Consequently, the house is probably in joint names.

Says no one ever

When we die, we won’t need a care home??

And I have no step children.

Ive protected my child's inheritance. Bought house as tenants in.commin and Will states it will pass to chd with husband having lifetime interest ... unless he cohabits or remarries.

Slightly different situation here…. DH and I have no children. I have 8 nephews and nieces, he has 2. Our wills leave everything to each other in the first instance, then on second death the remaining estate is divided in half, with one half between his two DN, and the other half between my 8 DN, so his get 1/4 and mine get 1/16.

We believe this to be fair, in fact if anything it is more generous to my side because he brought more assets to the marriage than me and earned more for some of it, though it is a long marriage.

I know full well that the survivor could do a new will as soon as the first one dies, and leave everything to their own DN and cut the others out altogether. We won’t do it, because we’re honourable people.

The only thing which might change that would be if I were to marry again, presumably someone younger ( I can dream) who was likely to outlive me, I wouldn’t want him thrown out of his home. But there are ways of arranging that, such as leaving them a life interest in the house plus a chunk of cash, with the DN inheriting in due course. And of course he might well have his own home and money, which would change my thinking about what I needed to leave to him.

The OP’s father could do something similar, but it is entirely his choice to do that or not.

What happens if he remarries,it goes to his new wife?

It’s interesting isn’t it. I can say hand on heart that it wouldn't bother me but I’m not a fan of my mother so I don’t really want the money. However I am saying it knowing that it will all go to me (unless it goes in care) as I’m an only child but more importantly my mum is far too superior to do her own admin so she doesn’t have a will as I haven’t sorted one for her.

when I say all it’s well under inheritance tax thresholds. Perhaps if it were life changing I’d feel differently.

Have you asked him @00K ?
Im 20 years younger than my DH , no prior children but our wills are set up so that if one of us dies and the other re marries anything that is taken into the marrige will still go to the DC.

Your poor mother. Yikes.

This is an interesting post as I was privately thinking of both these things - that possibly those who say they don't think about it either know they are getting it anyway, or know there isn't much to speak of, or a combination of both!

I don't believe there are many families with real wealth who would not be bothered if their dc (ultimately, because many of us fight harder for our dc than for ourselves) lost out entirely on a large inheritance that went to their parent's much younger spouse and then sideways into a donkey shelter or similar.

Unfortunately highly unlikely you will inherit.

It is a very rare man that doesn't allow the whole estate go to his new wife🙄.

My friends father married after her wonderful mother died, within 2 years.
This was 20 years ago.

The sweet quiet woman turned out to be a completely controlling bitchb after they married, and refused to allow them to visit their lovely, valuable, family home.

She saw her father outside the old family home with her sister and brother, whom she is close to.
They loved their father dearly and were sad to see him quietly broken by his mistake.

There was no expectation whatsoever of any inheritance.

Didn't she drop dead suddenly 6 months ago, even though she was 10 years younger.

Her father looks 20 years younger, is so much happier in himself, and turns out she had a lot of money he never knew of, as she 100% let him pay for everything since they married.

My friends father has now handed her over full power of attorney for all his affairs and they are going to come out of this so unexpectedly well.
She can hardly believe it.
He is gifting her and her siblings a couple of hundred thousand each which will be so life changing for them and their teen children.

In all my years, this is the only case of this i have come across.

Usually it is the original children not seeing a penny of inheritance.

I'm so delighted for her and her family.
Her father is such a pet.

The executor has a legal obligation to stick to the will ... so the OP could seek legal advice if she didn't.

well it has now

as you've mentioned it

Speak to your dad. Tell him someone at work was talking about POA arrangements for their parent and you remember signing a POA but it wasn't until you heard them talking you realised you didn't know if it was for health/financial or both, and you don't have a copy/know where it is held incase it is needed in an emergency situation.

You can also casually mention - you assume he has his will lodged with the same solicitor as the POA. What is in the will is not your business for now unless he chooses to share, as long as he has written one that contains his wishes that counts.