Beyond the economic complications that an inheritance can entail, even paying more than what is going to be received due to incorrect planning, one of the most common problems is family conflicts or arguments generated by a distribution that is considered unbalanced. Well, although parents want to guarantee the well-being of everyone, the truth is that their decisions are not always taken in the right direction.
One of the most common scenarios when making a will among those who plan to leave their assets and wealth to their children is to distribute it. depending on the economic situation of each one. That is why, in some cases, a greater percentage is allocated to those descendants who have greater complications, not for loving him more, but for wanting to guarantee his well-being.
According to the lawyer specialized in families and inheritances, Laura Finger Wolfthis case is one of the most common among clients who come to his office. Many parents have this dilemma: “Do I leave the same for everyone or do I leave more for those who need it most?“And the truth is that, in addition to the economic factor, it is necessary to take into account other aspects such as the feelings of the rest of the children and, above all, the possibilities of creating a conflict.
This type of inheritance distribution can be the trigger for a family conflict.
The lawyer presents the case of parents who, “although they may love all their children the same, They understand that materially not everyone needs the same thing.“. Therefore, seeking the well-being of all, they decide to distribute their inheritance in the most equitable way possible. Allocating a greater or lesser percentage depending on the facilities and economic context of each of his descendants.
The problem comes when they receive the news and see that their parents wanted to “benefit” one of them more. Well, as the lawyer explains, “What they are really understanding is that they loved one child more than another.“. In most cases, this is usually the trigger for family conflicts that can end in legal proceedings or even in blocking the inheritance. An unpleasant situation that could have been prevented.
“And it is that inheritances have a very important emotional componentand through inheritance the love and interests of the family are determined.” Therefore, many heirs do not stop to think about the true reason behind the distribution of wealth and may come to interpret it in personal terms. Without taking into account that this decision was made when recognizing their financial solvency.
How to avoid disputes between heirs?
To avoid this type of interpretation, and its possible negative consequences both on the relationship between siblings and on the memory of the deceased, what the lawyer recommends is “speak it, transmit it and try to understand it”. Once the will has been made, parents should sit down with their children to communicate their decision and the reason behind it.
Well, “when children receive decisions, even if they do not agree, but They know the reason, it is easier for them to accept and comply with it“However, in case you do not want to do it before death to avoid possible conflicts prior to distribution, you can also write the reason or reason behind the distribution of the inheritance in the will.
Likewise, lawyers specialized in inheritances recommend preparing a will personalized to the situation of each family and adding clauses that avoid both future conflicts and possible behaviors that may become harmful for the rest of the heirs. Thanks to this, not only will a faster process be guaranteed, but also an emotionally lighter one for successors.