While it's often normal for older parents to revise their wills late in life, it's not often that it becomes such a point of contention and emotional strife in the family.

Such was the experience of one couple, who, upon making a small tweak to their will so that one child would receive the family property, ended up unknowingly sparking a heated family feud.

The family drama began some time ago, when the couple, whose identities will remain undisclosed, originally wanted to leave their sons, both married with kids of their own, a $3 million dollar home.

It had been in the family for generations, was 'a couple hundred years old', and would leave a wonderful legacy to the family heirs. But when the couple told their sons of their plan, there was a surprising reaction.

A couple has revealed their son is furious with them after making changes to their will, leaving him their $3 million family home that he can't sell. Credit: Shutterstock.

The mother also revealed that the older son was married but didn't want children and lived in the same state as his parents. Meanwhile, the younger one is married as well but has two young children and lives eight hours away.

'[The younger son] winced,' the concerned mother recalled informing his children in a post on a forum website.

'He told us he didn't want anything to do with the house and had no plans to move back to the area.'

Obviously, the couple were disappointed to see such a negative attitude, so they discussed the plan and chose to revise their will.

They phoned both sons to inform them that they had decided to leave the younger son all the financial assets, almost one million dollars more than the house's value, and they would leave the older son the family home instead.

But that's when things started to get complicated.

According to the mother, her older son revealed that he and his wife live five hours away, so they wouldn't be able to move in. The son had also realised that it would have a negative effect on his finances, and their property tax would increase.

Needless to say, the response from the couple's eldest son was not the most favourable. The mother said that the son even 'threateningly' mentioned that he would keep all of this in mind in the future when they need elderly care and he's the one nearby.

The conversation ended very tensely, but the younger son was reportedly 'pleased' with the results.

On the online forum, the mum later disclosed that the house could not be sold due to an agreement the previous owners had made, which effectively prohibited them from selling it to anyone other than the town.

The consequences of the small change had inadvertently created a wave of tension in the family, and now members of the online forum are attempting to navigate delicate familial lines to help the distressed mum.

A commenter on the forum jokingly said, 'You can leave it to me. I will move in and love it forever. I'll even change my last name, and you can adopt me.'

However, others called out the parents, with one user saying: '[You're wrong] for trying to manipulate your offspring to live in a house they do not want in an area they don't want to be in'.

'The house is not worth three million because it can never be sold, so take it off the table and split the other assets evenly between them. Then, when the town takes the house for its land value, they can also split that money. You should not ask your kids to maintain this home after you are gone,' they added.

Another agreed and commented: 'You are trying to make your children take on a burden as the last thing you do before death. That is so messed up…'

Key Takeaways

• A couple has changed their wills, causing tension as they have left their $3 million family home to their son, but he can't sell it.
• The house, worth more than its other assets, cannot be sold due to a deal made by its previous owners with the town.
• The son is unhappy with the decision, arguing it will negatively impact his finances as maintenance and property tax will increase.
• The parents have faced criticism online for forcing their children to take on the burden of a house they do not want and cannot sell.

From this, it's clear that the family members have very different views and opinions on the matter, but it also highlights something else that many of us may have overlookedwhile planning for the future, it's imperative to leave our family members with assets they actually want so that it doesn't become more of a burden than a legacy.

We must also be mindful of the feelings of our family members when discussing our estate plans and wills. When the plan is as serious as deciding who should receive a large estate, it's important to ensure everyone is on board.

We hope this story serves as a lesson and a reminder for all of us to open the lines of communication with our family members about estate planning in order to avoid an emotionally draining conflict.

Members, do you have a similar story? Have you ever found yourself in an emotionally contentious family matter surrounding a will or estate plan? How did you or those involved handle the situation?

We'd love to hear about it, so feel free to leave a comment below.

 

[Shane/#]

While it's often normal for older parents to revise their wills late in life, it's not often that it becomes such a point of contention and emotional strife in the family.

Such was the experience of one couple, who, upon making a small tweak to their will so that one child would receive the family property, ended up unknowingly sparking a heated family feud.

The family drama began some time ago, when the couple, whose identities will remain undisclosed, originally wanted to leave their sons, both married with kids of their own, a $3 million dollar home.

It had been in the family for generations, was 'a couple hundred years old', and would leave a wonderful legacy to the family heirs. But when the couple told their sons of their plan, there was a surprising reaction.

View attachment 29450

A couple has revealed their son is furious with them after making changes to their will, leaving him their $3 million family home that he can't sell. Credit: Shutterstock.

The mother also revealed that the older son was married but didn't want children and lived in the same state as his parents. Meanwhile, the younger one is married as well but has two young children and lives eight hours away.

'[The younger son] winced,' the concerned mother recalled informing his children in a post on a forum website.

'He told us he didn't want anything to do with the house and had no plans to move back to the area.'

Obviously, the couple were disappointed to see such a negative attitude, so they discussed the plan and chose to revise their will.

They phoned both sons to inform them that they had decided to leave the younger son all the financial assets, almost one million dollars more than the house's value, and they would leave the older son the family home instead.

But that's when things started to get complicated.

According to the mother, her older son revealed that he and his wife live five hours away, so they wouldn't be able to move in. The son had also realised that it would have a negative effect on his finances, and their property tax would increase.

Needless to say, the response from the couple's eldest son was not the most favourable. The mother said that the son even 'threateningly' mentioned that he would keep all of this in mind in the future when they need elderly care and he's the one nearby.

The conversation ended very tensely, but the younger son was reportedly 'pleased' with the results.

On the online forum, the mum later disclosed that the house could not be sold due to an agreement the previous owners had made, which effectively prohibited them from selling it to anyone other than the town.

The consequences of the small change had inadvertently created a wave of tension in the family, and now members of the online forum are attempting to navigate delicate familial lines to help the distressed mum.

A commenter on the forum jokingly said, 'You can leave it to me. I will move in and love it forever. I'll even change my last name, and you can adopt me.'

However, others called out the parents, with one user saying: '[You're wrong] for trying to manipulate your offspring to live in a house they do not want in an area they don't want to be in'.

'The house is not worth three million because it can never be sold, so take it off the table and split the other assets evenly between them. Then, when the town takes the house for its land value, they can also split that money. You should not ask your kids to maintain this home after you are gone,' they added.

Another agreed and commented: 'You are trying to make your children take on a burden as the last thing you do before death. That is so messed up…'

Key Takeaways

• A couple has changed their wills, causing tension as they have left their $3 million family home to their son, but he can't sell it.
• The house, worth more than its other assets, cannot be sold due to a deal made by its previous owners with the town.
• The son is unhappy with the decision, arguing it will negatively impact his finances as maintenance and property tax will increase.
• The parents have faced criticism online for forcing their children to take on the burden of a house they do not want and cannot sell.

From this, it's clear that the family members have very different views and opinions on the matter, but it also highlights something else that many of us may have overlookedwhile planning for the future, it's imperative to leave our family members with assets they actually want so that it doesn't become more of a burden than a legacy.

We must also be mindful of the feelings of our family members when discussing our estate plans and wills. When the plan is as serious as deciding who should receive a large estate, it's important to ensure everyone is on board.

We hope this story serves as a lesson and a reminder for all of us to open the lines of communication with our family members about estate planning in order to avoid an emotionally draining conflict.

Members, do you have a similar story? Have you ever found yourself in an emotionally contentious family matter surrounding a will or estate plan? How did you or those involved handle the situation?

We'd love to hear about it, so feel free to leave a comment below.

That's piss poor from both sons stick it to both of them and leave everything to a hospital or something like that

 

[Dalgie]

That’s just heartbreaking.. If I were in that situation I’d be liquidating everything that I could & donate it to the hundreds of deserving charities out there in desperate need. Anything remaining, leave equally to both sons to sort out when you’re gone

 

[Martin D]

I dont know why one of the sons couldn't take on the house, and then rent it out at a good fee to a deserving family. The rent could offset the property tax.

 

[Robbo3006]

While it's often normal for older parents to revise their wills late in life, it's not often that it becomes such a point of contention and emotional strife in the family.

Such was the experience of one couple, who, upon making a small tweak to their will so that one child would receive the family property, ended up unknowingly sparking a heated family feud.

The family drama began some time ago, when the couple, whose identities will remain undisclosed, originally wanted to leave their sons, both married with kids of their own, a $3 million dollar home.

It had been in the family for generations, was 'a couple hundred years old', and would leave a wonderful legacy to the family heirs. But when the couple told their sons of their plan, there was a surprising reaction.

View attachment 29450

A couple has revealed their son is furious with them after making changes to their will, leaving him their $3 million family home that he can't sell. Credit: Shutterstock.

The mother also revealed that the older son was married but didn't want children and lived in the same state as his parents. Meanwhile, the younger one is married as well but has two young children and lives eight hours away.

'[The younger son] winced,' the concerned mother recalled informing his children in a post on a forum website.

'He told us he didn't want anything to do with the house and had no plans to move back to the area.'

Obviously, the couple were disappointed to see such a negative attitude, so they discussed the plan and chose to revise their will.

They phoned both sons to inform them that they had decided to leave the younger son all the financial assets, almost one million dollars more than the house's value, and they would leave the older son the family home instead.

But that's when things started to get complicated.

According to the mother, her older son revealed that he and his wife live five hours away, so they wouldn't be able to move in. The son had also realised that it would have a negative effect on his finances, and their property tax would increase.

Needless to say, the response from the couple's eldest son was not the most favourable. The mother said that the son even 'threateningly' mentioned that he would keep all of this in mind in the future when they need elderly care and he's the one nearby.

The conversation ended very tensely, but the younger son was reportedly 'pleased' with the results.

On the online forum, the mum later disclosed that the house could not be sold due to an agreement the previous owners had made, which effectively prohibited them from selling it to anyone other than the town.

The consequences of the small change had inadvertently created a wave of tension in the family, and now members of the online forum are attempting to navigate delicate familial lines to help the distressed mum.

A commenter on the forum jokingly said, 'You can leave it to me. I will move in and love it forever. I'll even change my last name, and you can adopt me.'

However, others called out the parents, with one user saying: '[You're wrong] for trying to manipulate your offspring to live in a house they do not want in an area they don't want to be in'.

'The house is not worth three million because it can never be sold, so take it off the table and split the other assets evenly between them. Then, when the town takes the house for its land value, they can also split that money. You should not ask your kids to maintain this home after you are gone,' they added.

Another agreed and commented: 'You are trying to make your children take on a burden as the last thing you do before death. That is so messed up…'

Key Takeaways

• A couple has changed their wills, causing tension as they have left their $3 million family home to their son, but he can't sell it.
• The house, worth more than its other assets, cannot be sold due to a deal made by its previous owners with the town.
• The son is unhappy with the decision, arguing it will negatively impact his finances as maintenance and property tax will increase.
• The parents have faced criticism online for forcing their children to take on the burden of a house they do not want and cannot sell.

From this, it's clear that the family members have very different views and opinions on the matter, but it also highlights something else that many of us may have overlookedwhile planning for the future, it's imperative to leave our family members with assets they actually want so that it doesn't become more of a burden than a legacy.

We must also be mindful of the feelings of our family members when discussing our estate plans and wills. When the plan is as serious as deciding who should receive a large estate, it's important to ensure everyone is on board.

We hope this story serves as a lesson and a reminder for all of us to open the lines of communication with our family members about estate planning in order to avoid an emotionally draining conflict.

Members, do you have a similar story? Have you ever found yourself in an emotionally contentious family matter surrounding a will or estate plan? How did you or those involved handle the situation?

We'd love to hear about it, so feel free to leave a comment below.

Change the will, I'll look after you for the rest of both your lives for 3 million, thankless entitled millenial?

 

[MariaG]

I have been the victim of family who thought they deserved more.
Not siblings. Grand children of my mum.
It is horrendous to have this stuff go on when you are mourning the passing of a parent.
The anguish suffered when my sister and I were accused of changing mum's will after she contracted dementia is too painful to describe. Then we were abused for not having a formal reading of the will. They watch too much American TV.
As it turned out, we were able to prove that mum took herself to the solicitor 8 years before being diagnosed. She was of sound mind, body and spirit at the time. The only money that was bequeathed went to the accusers and my sis and I the house and contents to deal with as we decided.
The attitude of the family members was almost the undoing of me. It is an awful thing to go through.
In a way, I am glad my darling mum was not alive to see the behaviour of family members who she believed formed part of a solid family unit. It would have been quite distressing for her.
The sad thing is, when the accusations were proved false, everything went silent. Only one message to me came from the solicitor. They asked ... when do we get the money?
I have not seen anything of them since. I have lost half my family....or have I? For them to treat my sis and I they way they did, they are not family.
In the case of the story of the family home .... they parents are still alive. I don't get that they are OK to sit back and watch all the goings on. It is hardly worth arguing about, seeing that the home cannot be sold. Walk away kids.

 

[Beverley759]

While it's often normal for older parents to revise their wills late in life, it's not often that it becomes such a point of contention and emotional strife in the family.

Such was the experience of one couple, who, upon making a small tweak to their will so that one child would receive the family property, ended up unknowingly sparking a heated family feud.

The family drama began some time ago, when the couple, whose identities will remain undisclosed, originally wanted to leave their sons, both married with kids of their own, a $3 million dollar home.

It had been in the family for generations, was 'a couple hundred years old', and would leave a wonderful legacy to the family heirs. But when the couple told their sons of their plan, there was a surprising reaction.

View attachment 29450

A couple has revealed their son is furious with them after making changes to their will, leaving him their $3 million family home that he can't sell. Credit: Shutterstock.

The mother also revealed that the older son was married but didn't want children and lived in the same state as his parents. Meanwhile, the younger one is married as well but has two young children and lives eight hours away.

'[The younger son] winced,' the concerned mother recalled informing his children in a post on a forum website.

'He told us he didn't want anything to do with the house and had no plans to move back to the area.'

Obviously, the couple were disappointed to see such a negative attitude, so they discussed the plan and chose to revise their will.

They phoned both sons to inform them that they had decided to leave the younger son all the financial assets, almost one million dollars more than the house's value, and they would leave the older son the family home instead.

But that's when things started to get complicated.

According to the mother, her older son revealed that he and his wife live five hours away, so they wouldn't be able to move in. The son had also realised that it would have a negative effect on his finances, and their property tax would increase.

Needless to say, the response from the couple's eldest son was not the most favourable. The mother said that the son even 'threateningly' mentioned that he would keep all of this in mind in the future when they need elderly care and he's the one nearby.

The conversation ended very tensely, but the younger son was reportedly 'pleased' with the results.

On the online forum, the mum later disclosed that the house could not be sold due to an agreement the previous owners had made, which effectively prohibited them from selling it to anyone other than the town.

The consequences of the small change had inadvertently created a wave of tension in the family, and now members of the online forum are attempting to navigate delicate familial lines to help the distressed mum.

A commenter on the forum jokingly said, 'You can leave it to me. I will move in and love it forever. I'll even change my last name, and you can adopt me.'

However, others called out the parents, with one user saying: '[You're wrong] for trying to manipulate your offspring to live in a house they do not want in an area they don't want to be in'.

'The house is not worth three million because it can never be sold, so take it off the table and split the other assets evenly between them. Then, when the town takes the house for its land value, they can also split that money. You should not ask your kids to maintain this home after you are gone,' they added.

Another agreed and commented: 'You are trying to make your children take on a burden as the last thing you do before death. That is so messed up…'

Key Takeaways

• A couple has changed their wills, causing tension as they have left their $3 million family home to their son, but he can't sell it.
• The house, worth more than its other assets, cannot be sold due to a deal made by its previous owners with the town.
• The son is unhappy with the decision, arguing it will negatively impact his finances as maintenance and property tax will increase.
• The parents have faced criticism online for forcing their children to take on the burden of a house they do not want and cannot sell.

From this, it's clear that the family members have very different views and opinions on the matter, but it also highlights something else that many of us may have overlookedwhile planning for the future, it's imperative to leave our family members with assets they actually want so that it doesn't become more of a burden than a legacy.

We must also be mindful of the feelings of our family members when discussing our estate plans and wills. When the plan is as serious as deciding who should receive a large estate, it's important to ensure everyone is on board.

We hope this story serves as a lesson and a reminder for all of us to open the lines of communication with our family members about estate planning in order to avoid an emotionally draining conflict.

Members, do you have a similar story? Have you ever found yourself in an emotionally contentious family matter surrounding a will or estate plan? How did you or those involved handle the situation?

We'd love to hear about it, so feel free to leave a comment below.

Really saddens me when I hear these stories. People should not have to live in order to provide on death. It should not be expected that the children will stay close to the nest - and given its history they probably knew that. Living is hard but boy dying with money is a bitch it brings out the worst in people. Live and let live and enjoy your children in life. Let the executors (and your wishes) sort it our when your no longer here. Happy Tuesday!

 

[Aussie all the Way]

I would change the will so neither child got anything, live in the house till I popped off and left the house to the town and all the money and everything else as well. Greedy little shits want everything but not willing to help their Parents out for the short time they have left. Kick em to the Kerb.

 

[joany]

While it's often normal for older parents to revise their wills late in life, it's not often that it becomes such a point of contention and emotional strife in the family.

Such was the experience of one couple, who, upon making a small tweak to their will so that one child would receive the family property, ended up unknowingly sparking a heated family feud.

The family drama began some time ago, when the couple, whose identities will remain undisclosed, originally wanted to leave their sons, both married with kids of their own, a $3 million dollar home.

It had been in the family for generations, was 'a couple hundred years old', and would leave a wonderful legacy to the family heirs. But when the couple told their sons of their plan, there was a surprising reaction.

View attachment 29450

A couple has revealed their son is furious with them after making changes to their will, leaving him their $3 million family home that he can't sell. Credit: Shutterstock.

The mother also revealed that the older son was married but didn't want children and lived in the same state as his parents. Meanwhile, the younger one is married as well but has two young children and lives eight hours away.

'[The younger son] winced,' the concerned mother recalled informing his children in a post on a forum website.

'He told us he didn't want anything to do with the house and had no plans to move back to the area.'

Obviously, the couple were disappointed to see such a negative attitude, so they discussed the plan and chose to revise their will.

They phoned both sons to inform them that they had decided to leave the younger son all the financial assets, almost one million dollars more than the house's value, and they would leave the older son the family home instead.

But that's when things started to get complicated.

According to the mother, her older son revealed that he and his wife live five hours away, so they wouldn't be able to move in. The son had also realised that it would have a negative effect on his finances, and their property tax would increase.

Needless to say, the response from the couple's eldest son was not the most favourable. The mother said that the son even 'threateningly' mentioned that he would keep all of this in mind in the future when they need elderly care and he's the one nearby.

The conversation ended very tensely, but the younger son was reportedly 'pleased' with the results.

On the online forum, the mum later disclosed that the house could not be sold due to an agreement the previous owners had made, which effectively prohibited them from selling it to anyone other than the town.

The consequences of the small change had inadvertently created a wave of tension in the family, and now members of the online forum are attempting to navigate delicate familial lines to help the distressed mum.

A commenter on the forum jokingly said, 'You can leave it to me. I will move in and love it forever. I'll even change my last name, and you can adopt me.'

However, others called out the parents, with one user saying: '[You're wrong] for trying to manipulate your offspring to live in a house they do not want in an area they don't want to be in'.

'The house is not worth three million because it can never be sold, so take it off the table and split the other assets evenly between them. Then, when the town takes the house for its land value, they can also split that money. You should not ask your kids to maintain this home after you are gone,' they added.

Another agreed and commented: 'You are trying to make your children take on a burden as the last thing you do before death. That is so messed up…'

Key Takeaways

• A couple has changed their wills, causing tension as they have left their $3 million family home to their son, but he can't sell it.
• The house, worth more than its other assets, cannot be sold due to a deal made by its previous owners with the town.
• The son is unhappy with the decision, arguing it will negatively impact his finances as maintenance and property tax will increase.
• The parents have faced criticism online for forcing their children to take on the burden of a house they do not want and cannot sell.

From this, it's clear that the family members have very different views and opinions on the matter, but it also highlights something else that many of us may have overlookedwhile planning for the future, it's imperative to leave our family members with assets they actually want so that it doesn't become more of a burden than a legacy.

We must also be mindful of the feelings of our family members when discussing our estate plans and wills. When the plan is as serious as deciding who should receive a large estate, it's important to ensure everyone is on board.

We hope this story serves as a lesson and a reminder for all of us to open the lines of communication with our family members about estate planning in order to avoid an emotionally draining conflict.

Members, do you have a similar story? Have you ever found yourself in an emotionally contentious family matter surrounding a will or estate plan? How did you or those involved handle the situation?

We'd love to hear about it, so feel free to leave a comment below.

If possible I would apply for a reverse mortgage and use the the money to have others care for you. You can’t take it with you so use it all to care for yourself.

 

[Dalgie]

I have been the victim of family who thought they deserved more.
Not siblings. Grand children of my mum.
It is horrendous to have this stuff go on when you are mourning the passing of a parent.
The anguish suffered when my sister and I were accused of changing mum's will after she contracted dementia is too painful to describe. Then we were abused for not having a formal reading of the will. They watch too much American TV.
As it turned out, we were able to prove that mum took herself to the solicitor 8 years before being diagnosed. She was of sound mind, body and spirit at the time. The only money that was bequeathed went to the accusers and my sis and I the house and contents to deal with as we decided.
The attitude of the family members was almost the undoing of me. It is an awful thing to go through.
In a way, I am glad my darling mum was not alive to see the behaviour of family members who she believed formed part of a solid family unit. It would have been quite distressing for her.
The sad thing is, when the accusations were proved false, everything went silent. Only one message to me came from the solicitor. They asked ... when do we get the money?
I have not seen anything of them since. I have lost half my family....or have I? For them to treat my sis and I they way they did, they are not family.
In the case of the story of the family home .... they parents are still alive. I don't get that they are OK to sit back and watch all the goings on. It is hardly worth arguing about, seeing that the home cannot be sold. Walk away kids.

I’m so sorry to hear what you had to endure. It would have been incredibly hurtful & not something that can be forgotten. Greed & entitlement are such an ugly thing. I wish you, your sis and the decent half of your family all the best.

 

[Dalgie]

If possible I would apply for a reverse mortgage and use the the money to have others care for you. You can’t take it with you so use it all to care for yourself.

Best advice ever!

 

[Glenys R]

Pick out 5 good charities and leave it to them. Make one charity person executor. To hell with the kids!!

 

[Observer]

. .

 

[Gsr]

Well hubby and I have never had any such issues as neither one of us had parents who had anything other than personal stuff and limited money to inherit. Everyone just got an equal share of money and got to choose a couple of personal items if they wished, then the rest was donated to charity. Our kids have told us to spend everything we have, sell our house if we want and buy something smaller. They don’t want us to feel like we need to leave them an inheritance. They say they will look after us if need to, we tell them we are happy to go into care if we live long enough to need looking after. We plan on leaving half our estate to our 2 kids equally, and the other half divided equally between our 4 grandkids. Our daughter and her hubby don’t want kids and are also leaving their estate, which will consist of several houses, cars etc to our grandkids as well so eventually they will be well set up. Both hubby and I grew up poor and our goals were to give our kids a better life than we had, we have managed this through a lifetime of hard work and being careful with money.

 

[EllieN]

While it's often normal for older parents to revise their wills late in life, it's not often that it becomes such a point of contention and emotional strife in the family.

Such was the experience of one couple, who, upon making a small tweak to their will so that one child would receive the family property, ended up unknowingly sparking a heated family feud.

The family drama began some time ago, when the couple, whose identities will remain undisclosed, originally wanted to leave their sons, both married with kids of their own, a $3 million dollar home.

It had been in the family for generations, was 'a couple hundred years old', and would leave a wonderful legacy to the family heirs. But when the couple told their sons of their plan, there was a surprising reaction.

View attachment 29450

A couple has revealed their son is furious with them after making changes to their will, leaving him their $3 million family home that he can't sell. Credit: Shutterstock.

The mother also revealed that the older son was married but didn't want children and lived in the same state as his parents. Meanwhile, the younger one is married as well but has two young children and lives eight hours away.

'[The younger son] winced,' the concerned mother recalled informing his children in a post on a forum website.

'He told us he didn't want anything to do with the house and had no plans to move back to the area.'

Obviously, the couple were disappointed to see such a negative attitude, so they discussed the plan and chose to revise their will.

They phoned both sons to inform them that they had decided to leave the younger son all the financial assets, almost one million dollars more than the house's value, and they would leave the older son the family home instead.

But that's when things started to get complicated.

According to the mother, her older son revealed that he and his wife live five hours away, so they wouldn't be able to move in. The son had also realised that it would have a negative effect on his finances, and their property tax would increase.

Needless to say, the response from the couple's eldest son was not the most favourable. The mother said that the son even 'threateningly' mentioned that he would keep all of this in mind in the future when they need elderly care and he's the one nearby.

The conversation ended very tensely, but the younger son was reportedly 'pleased' with the results.

On the online forum, the mum later disclosed that the house could not be sold due to an agreement the previous owners had made, which effectively prohibited them from selling it to anyone other than the town.

The consequences of the small change had inadvertently created a wave of tension in the family, and now members of the online forum are attempting to navigate delicate familial lines to help the distressed mum.

A commenter on the forum jokingly said, 'You can leave it to me. I will move in and love it forever. I'll even change my last name, and you can adopt me.'

However, others called out the parents, with one user saying: '[You're wrong] for trying to manipulate your offspring to live in a house they do not want in an area they don't want to be in'.

'The house is not worth three million because it can never be sold, so take it off the table and split the other assets evenly between them. Then, when the town takes the house for its land value, they can also split that money. You should not ask your kids to maintain this home after you are gone,' they added.

Another agreed and commented: 'You are trying to make your children take on a burden as the last thing you do before death. That is so messed up…'

Key Takeaways

• A couple has changed their wills, causing tension as they have left their $3 million family home to their son, but he can't sell it.
• The house, worth more than its other assets, cannot be sold due to a deal made by its previous owners with the town.
• The son is unhappy with the decision, arguing it will negatively impact his finances as maintenance and property tax will increase.
• The parents have faced criticism online for forcing their children to take on the burden of a house they do not want and cannot sell.

From this, it's clear that the family members have very different views and opinions on the matter, but it also highlights something else that many of us may have overlookedwhile planning for the future, it's imperative to leave our family members with assets they actually want so that it doesn't become more of a burden than a legacy.

We must also be mindful of the feelings of our family members when discussing our estate plans and wills. When the plan is as serious as deciding who should receive a large estate, it's important to ensure everyone is on board.

We hope this story serves as a lesson and a reminder for all of us to open the lines of communication with our family members about estate planning in order to avoid an emotionally draining conflict.

Members, do you have a similar story? Have you ever found yourself in an emotionally contentious family matter surrounding a will or estate plan? How did you or those involved handle the situation?

We'd love to hear about it, so feel free to leave a comment below.

Worked in this area most of my working life. Wills are often referred to as “ruling from the grave”.
All States in Australia are governed by a Succession Act - Family Provision is the area of that Act. While they very similar in all States they do have some differences.
Very important to take good legal advice where you know there are family issues.
Situations such is these could wind up wit individual family members challenging the Will in the Supreme Court. The only real financial winners in these cases, are the Lawyers.

Spend the money yourself and enjoy your retirement. I believe gone are the old days of spending little, to save your money for the kids/grandkids.

 

[Observer]

Worked in this area most of my working life. Wills are often referred to as “ruling from the grave”.
All States in Australia are governed by a Succession Act - Family Provision is the area of that Act. While they very similar in all States they do have some differences.
Very important to take good legal advice where you know there are family issues.
Situations such is these could wind up wit individual family members challenging the Will in the Supreme Court. The only real financial winners in these cases, are the Lawyers.

Spend the money yourself and enjoy your retirement. I believe gone are the old days of spending little, to save your money for the kids/grandkids.

I would go along with that. Have similar situation at the moment as to how we should share our Will.

 

[Ricki]

We're spending all of our children's inheritance. We worked hard for it. All of our children (7) are successful and are happy for us.

 

[Aussie all the Way]

I have been the victim of family who thought they deserved more.
Not siblings. Grand children of my mum.
It is horrendous to have this stuff go on when you are mourning the passing of a parent.
The anguish suffered when my sister and I were accused of changing mum's will after she contracted dementia is too painful to describe. Then we were abused for not having a formal reading of the will. They watch too much American TV.
As it turned out, we were able to prove that mum took herself to the solicitor 8 years before being diagnosed. She was of sound mind, body and spirit at the time. The only money that was bequeathed went to the accusers and my sis and I the house and contents to deal with as we decided.
The attitude of the family members was almost the undoing of me. It is an awful thing to go through.
In a way, I am glad my darling mum was not alive to see the behaviour of family members who she believed formed part of a solid family unit. It would have been quite distressing for her.
The sad thing is, when the accusations were proved false, everything went silent. Only one message to me came from the solicitor. They asked ... when do we get the money?
I have not seen anything of them since. I have lost half my family....or have I? For them to treat my sis and I they way they did, they are not family.
In the case of the story of the family home .... they parents are still alive. I don't get that they are OK to sit back and watch all the goings on. It is hardly worth arguing about, seeing that the home cannot be sold. Walk away kids.

Yep the worst really does come out when parents die, I have lost all of my family bar one that still is in my life. The others I told them to never get in touch with me ever again the vile things they accused my sister of who was Power of Attorney to my mother which were not true, I had no idea who these people were, they turned into the most revolting people I had ever had the misfortune of knowing, I could not believe they were the people I grew up with. Very very sad but something horrid happens to some people when money is concerned, my mum had only just passed away and I'm talking in the hospital bed still and the doctors had not even done the announcement when 1 of my siblings turned and said when is the will being read.

 

[Observer]

I hear you. 100%

 

[Littleboy8]

Yep the worst really does come out when parents die, I have lost all of my family bar one that still is in my life. The others I told them to never get in touch with me ever again the vile things they accused my sister of who was Power of Attorney to my mother which were not true, I had no idea who these people were, they turned into the most revolting people I had ever had the misfortune of knowing, I could not believe they were the people I grew up with. Very very sad but something horrid happens to some people when money is concerned, my mum had only just passed away and I'm talking in the hospital bed still and the doctors had not even done the announcement when 1 of my siblings turned and said when is the will being read.

Omg no words