Experiencing the death of a loved one is never an easy time. Unfortunately, mourning the death of a parent becomes more difficult if you’re involved in an estate battle with one or all of your siblings. If you and your siblings are part of heated estate disputes in California, there are options. Here are several ways to resolve or avoid this type of a situation.
Create a will
As a parent, one of the easiest ways to prevent disputes among siblings after you pass away is to create a will with clear terms. Having a will allows someone to designate who receives assets from your estate. If the terms of your will are clear, there shouldn’t be much for a reason for an estate battle to start.
Give gifts before it’s too late
Another tip to avoid will and trust contests involves giving gifts. If you know your child wants a certain item of yours, you can give this to them before you pass away. While it might be a little emotional, gifting assets to your children now can prevent disputes after you’re gone.
Have siblings take turns
It’s possible for someone to forget about all of their assets before passing away. This situation sometimes leads to adult children fighting over items that were never designated to anyone in their parent’s will. One potential way to resolve this situation is to have siblings agree to take turns choosing items they want the most.
In closing, family members can sometimes find themselves involved in disputes involving their parent’s estates. If you think that disputes will arise between you and a sibling, try using the previously mentioned tips to resolve matters.