Avoiding inheritance battles
CNN.com features an article by Sarah Jio entitled Inheritance battles - how to avoid them. The article primarily discusses the more sentimental personal belongings that siblings fight over. In my experience it is the money and real property that spark legal battles over estates. However, I've found that even when those "big" issues are resolved a final settlement is often delayed while the parties fight about who gets grandma's favorite painting or a picture of dad in his US Army uniform. It is at that level when the parties truly feel it "isn't about the money." Ms. Jio has some nice tips for those wanting to avoid such a fight. However, she doesn't discuss the best advice I would give to avoid estate disputes, particularly will contests: have a lawyer draw up the will! Nothing invites litigation like a self drawn will or a fill in the blank "will kit" found at bookstores or on the internet. North Texas, Grayson, Collin Will Contest Attorneys