Creating an estate plan is the responsible thing to do. This is true for everyone, even if you have limited assets and no children.
However, when you create your estate plan, you should remember – it’s not a “set-it-and-forget-it” legal document (documents). As your life changes, you need to update your estate plan to reflect these changes. This includes getting married, divorced, having children and more.
There are other situations when you may need to remove someone from your estate plan or disinherit them. Making sure this is done properly is essential to ensure that your assets don’t wind up in the hands of the wrong person or people.
Reasons to disinherit someone
You have your own reasons when it comes to disinheriting someone. Sometimes, situations arise that make you reconsider whom you are leaving assets to after you pass away.
Common reasons you may need or want to disinherit someone include the following:
- Someone becomes addicted to drugs or alcohol
- Getting divorced
- If a family member gets married and their spouse is likely to squander your assets
Sometimes, you may have a “falling out” with someone, and the relationship becomes permanently broken. No matter the situation, if you aren’t sure about leaving someone to inherit your assets, you should consider disinheriting them.
How to legally disinherit someone
If you want to disinherit someone, it is often necessary to add a clause to your will that states who is being disinherited and why. Being as detailed as possible is smart, ensuring that the person cannot contest the will and cause expensive litigation.
You can also place conditions on a person’s inheritance. It is best to learn more about the legal options you have to ensure that you take the right steps if you plan to disinherit someone.
