Inheritance?? (poll and comments)

**MTS04** · 01-01-2012, 11:23 PM

I don't know if I will inherit anything or not. It's not something that's ever been discussed. I would love to see my parents spend it all (whatever they have) and have a blast doing it. I their finances, possessions etc are theirs and theirs alone to do with what they wish.
I know that my worldly worth will go to a deserving animal charity, such as a local shelter or rescue organization.

**Libby** · 01-01-2012, 11:25 PM

I do not expect anything. I do know that specific siblings 'expect' something when dad leaves us however that is totally dad's decision: what he wishes to leave and to whom.

Ideally I'd like to leave something behind to my children (right now I don't have any) however with regards to what it will be - stuff, home or money - has yet to be decided. I do know for sure that I do not want to leave debt to my children if possible.

**greekislandgirl** · 01-02-2012, 03:51 AM

I don't "expect" anything but if DH's parents died now, we would inherit their debt (that's the law here) and it would absolutely cripple us. Their mortgage payment is higher than our total income. And we wouldn't even be allowed to sell the house, the ONLY legal option is to abandon it to the lending institution, which would mean that the 10 years or so that they've been paying it would go up in smoke. They don't have any kind of insurance or anything either. And no savings. So on the ILs front, we are basically screwed.

My parents (who are 75 and 68), they have the big house and decent amount of land, and financial assets of various kinds, but I see a substantial amount of it going to take care of them in their later years. Both have chronic ailments and my mom is just starting to get to an age where taking care of my dad is getting to be too much for her.

So while I know that my parents planned and hoped to leave a substantial inheritance to me and my brother, I certainly don't count on it. I recognize it as THEIRS and I know that they are careful with their money and don't waste it, but there could definitely come a time when they need it all and that's fine.

I believe the will says something like my brother gets the house/land and I get the money and if it's not a fair 50/50 breakdown, the one has to buy out the other. But there could be other beneficiaries that I'm not aware of and the value of the house has fallen tremendously in the past few years of course (as have the investments).

As far as leaving an inheritance, 100% of everything I have goes to my husband if I predecease him; I don't really recognize any other beneficiaries so I suppose it would go my brother if necessary. I don't have kids and don't know of any charities that I consider worthy enough to be in front of my brother.