Wills and Step Children

Raksha

Lets hope its a long long time before your wishes are put into practise

margaretclare

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Can I clarify ... your half of the joint assets entirely to your joint child and her half of joint assets entirely to her two children? If so not surprised your wife is unhappy, she is ignoring one of her children and you are ignoring two of yours (either you took them as yours of you did not). However financially I totally see your logic.

If I was your step child I would be upset, not about the money but about being ignored. Is there anything special or meaningful you would want to leave, that would normally be reserved for someone very close or loved, perhaps items you inherited? For me I'd be happy with some of my father's photos, one particular item of my mother's jewellery and an inherited dinner service. Those have memories and meaning.

To leave bequests to stepchildren/step-grandchildren in a will it is necessary to name them. 'I leave to my children'...won't do, it will apply only to biological children.

Some of us, in a second marriage, don't look at 'his and hers', 'yours and mine', but treat them all equally.

Raksha

margaretclare wrote: »

To leave bequests to stepchildren/step-grandchildren in a will it is necessary to name them. 'I leave to my children'...won't do, it will apply only to biological children.

Some of us, in a second marriage, don't look at 'his and hers', 'yours and mine', but treat them all equally.

I think you mean biological AND adopted children....

margaretclare

Raksha wrote: »

I think you mean biological AND adopted children....

No, I mean what I said. We've had the experience, when making our wills, of having to name the step-children/step-grandchildren. Although we wanted to treat all equally, we were told that it was necessary to name them.

mumps

margaretclare wrote: »

To leave bequests to stepchildren/step-grandchildren in a will it is necessary to name them. 'I leave to my children'...won't do, it will apply only to biological children.

Some of us, in a second marriage, don't look at 'his and hers', 'yours and mine', but treat them all equally.

Does that mean you and your daughter are back on good terms? That is nice to hear, family splits are so sad.

Raksha

http://www.abouthumanrights.co.uk/human-rights-adopted-children.html

Adopted and biological children have the same inheritance rights

Poppy9

You may be worrying unnecessarily about the 2 elder childen inheriting more from their other father

I would suggest you sit down as a family and discuss wills, inheritance and who is getting what.

It sounds like your wife thinks of you as your step children's father as well so its obvious you are all close so it should be an amicable conversation.

Say that you intend to treat all your 3 children equally and you know in the future that the elder two may possibly inherit from their father and hope it won't cause issues between the 3 of them. Personally I would hope they would volunteer to share that inheritance with their half brother/sister so it's another 3 way split.

Whatever at least speaking together about the issue now may prevent future animosity.

minx66

I understand where your coming from here. I'm in a similar situation, my husband has a son from a previous marriage. When our will was written we decided to divide our house 50/50. My 50% be divided between our 2 children, OH 50% divided between his 3 children, pensions are also the same. My thoughts were step sons mother would also provide for him.

madbadrob

Raksha wrote: »

http://www.abouthumanrights.co.uk/human-rights-adopted-children.html

Adopted and biological children have the same inheritance rights

Only if the adoption was a legally recognised adoption

Rob

daska

Raksha wrote: »

I think you mean biological AND adopted children....

The OP hasn't said that they have adopted their stepchildren? I know I have been advised to name my children and stepchild so there is no dispute over what is meant. My mother's Will only nominated her children and grandchildren to benefit from the Trust, which according to the solicitor excluded my stepdaughter.