Attorney’s Advice About Estate Plans: Don’t Tell the Family

Trusts & Estates

Attorney’s Advice About Estate Plans: Don’t Tell the Family

Posted Mar 27, 2008, 01:32 pm CDT
By Martha Neil

Tempted to tell an ungrateful relative that he or she has been cut out of your will? Don't do it, an attorney advises.

The unnamed legal counsel, writing in response to an earlier column on open estate planning, says it's generally a bad idea to tell relatives too much about what they can expect to inherit under a will, reports the Prairie Star.

"He routinely advises clients not to read their last will and testament to their children or give them copies of it, or tell them what is in it," the Montana-based agricultural publication reports. "He feels that almost invariably, when they have gone against his suggestions, there is an uproar in the family and it causes a split in the family relationship."

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Posted by Jason Waddell - 4 months, 3 weeks, 1 day, 11 hours, 32 minutes ago

Much better to let them find out after the fact when little can be done? Seems this will only lead to everyone hiring an attorney and fighting it out in court. Sorry but if there is bad news it is best broken by the person creating the bad news. Although I do agree about the handing out copies of the will....bad idea.
Posted by Andrew M. Rich - 4 months, 3 weeks, 1 day, 8 hours, 29 minutes ago

I ALWAYS insist that the family be informed of estate planning where children or others with a legitimate expectation are being removed where there is even the hint of undue influence, dementia, etc. Secrecy is one of the hallmarks of undue influence claims after death.

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