Family members have been known to turn on each over an inheritance – but these lot didn’t even wait until their poor mom was dead to start making claims on her assets.
One elderly mother had her children threatening to sue her so they could get their hands on her inheritance, subsequently making future family dinners incredibly awkward.
The mom-of-three was looking to sell her home and downsize after her offspring had flown the nest – something very common for a lot of parents to do.
The woman explained how she had hoped to free up a bit of cash to cover potential medical expenses in the future.
Her children were having none of this though, plunging the woman’s plans into chaos.
When her children discovered that she was putting the property on the market they threw a ‘disgusting tantrum’ and accused her of trying to ‘destroy their childhood memories and the final memories of their father by selling the family home’.
The mom, who wrote to the Daily Mail’s agony aunt for advice in April this year, said her children ‘demanded’ that she sign over the property to them and that they will rent it out – so she can use the money it brings in to live off.
But the woman refused and is adamant she wants to move on as being in the house is a ‘constant reminder’ of her late husband.
After telling the kids it was a firm no, they hit back by saying they had enlisted the services of lawyer to try and ‘legally stop’ her from selling up.
“They claim it’s their inheritance and that I’m trying to keep the money away from them,” she wrote.
“The last thing I wanted at this point in my life was to get involved in some horrendous family feud. I’m absolutely disgusted by their behaviour and can’t get over how selfish they’re being.”
The devastated widow went on to say that her late husband would be ‘furious’ over the behavior of their children.
And, although she doesn’t want to, she’s considering giving in to them so she can ‘live in peace without the threat of a lawsuit’ from her own offspring.
Agony aunt Jane Green sympathised with the woman over the ‘horrible’ situation she was in.
But she thought there could be a solution that left all parties happy.
Green suggested either selling the property to the kids or offering to ‘help “finance” their purchasing of the house in return for a monthly stipend enabling you to live’.
However, she went on to say that while such options may help solve one problem, they don’t tackle the ‘emotional trauma’ she’s been through.
Summing up, Jane told the mum to ‘bring in some experts, look at the options’ and ‘bring your children into those conversations and meetings so they can be a part of you all working this out’.
Is writing the kids out of the will an option too? You’d imagine the mom would be tempted after all this.
