Warning Signs You’ve Been Cheated Out of Your Inheritance
Your inheritance is about more than just finances. It’s also about fairness, legacy, and birthright. Losing a loved one is hard enough—but realizing that you’ve been cheated out of your inheritance can be devastating.
There are a few common signs that your inheritance will be or has been unfairly taken away from you. As estate dispute lawyers, we’ve seen the following scenarios lead to will contests countless times, and we’re prepared to act if the same happens to you.
Other Beneficiaries Received Far More Than You Did
If you have siblings, other family members, or even unrelated third parties who received far more than you did in a will, it could be a sign that you’re being denied what is rightfully yours. It’s worth asking questions to figure why you didn’t receive a comparable amount.
The Details of Your Loved One’s Will Are a Surprise
Most people have a clear idea of what to expect after their loved one passes. Big surprises during probate are often the first sign that something changed late in a loved one’s life and suspicious changes were made to their will.
Someone Has “Undue Influence” Over Your Loved One
In some cases, your loved one formed a close relationship late in life, and they’re exploited into giving that party their family’s inheritance. Sometimes, this takes the form of a marriage or someone who exercises “undue influence” over your loved one’s decisions.
Undue influence means your loved one was coerced, manipulated, or tricked by a dominant party into altering their final wishes. In these cases, you might have legal grounds to contest the will.
Your Loved One Gave Out Loans to Other Beneficiaries
Sometimes, the inheritance left behind in a will is distributed equally among beneficiaries, but an issue stems from financial actions taken before a loved one passes. This could be the case if, for example, a parent left behind equal amounts to their children, but gave out large loans to one child before they passed, thus leaving less of an inheritance for the other children.
An Executor Is Making Questionable Moves
A will’s executor is tasked with carrying out the wishes of the deceased. This leaves little wiggle room to do anything other than what’s specified in the will. It’s not unheard of for executors to try to take advantage of the situation by using their position to their own benefit. When this happens, beneficiaries have a right to take legal action to get their fair share.
If You’ve Been Denied Your Fair Share, We’re Here to Help
The Nashville estate dispute attorneys at Fair Share Lawyers have years of experience representing people who have been cheated out of their inheritance. Know that you might have legal options available, and we can help you determine what they are.
Contact our team today to learn how we can help.