FAQ Friday: Dad died without a Will
On Friday, April 1st, at 11am EST, Mr. Berger describes "A Story of what went wrong" when dad died without a Will.
Early in Mr. Berger’s career, he had a client where mom died, left everything to dad and he decided to get remarried to a much younger woman that had no children. Dad passed away without a Will. Though shortly before that, sister died and left him a valuable asset.
After dad died, the new wife received the house, retirement accounts, and any joint accounts in addition to half the asset from dad’s sister. Dad’s son and grandson got the other half of the settlement though their family believed the son should have received all of it.
New wife named new beneficiaries on all accounts she inherited and then she passed without any dependents so the estate went to her mother. She was elderly and not soon long after passed as well so it all then passed to her husband.
So the assets went from one person to another that didn’t even know each other let alone have a relationship.
The lesson to be learned: it’s time to get your Wills done!
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