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When a Beneficiary No Longer Lives, Who Inherits the Estate?

April 25, 2022Filed Under: Estate Planning

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What happens to your inheritance if your beneficiary is no longer alive? You may be wondering whether if you leave property to your brother Jim, but he dies before you, would his kids inherit the property in his place? The answer is, only if your will explicitly states as much. To ensure your document is correct, it’s best to say so specifically in various particular ways.

The surest way is to word your will or trust like this: “To my brother Jim, but if he predeceases me, then to his surviving children [insert their full legal names], or to their heirs, __________.” The blank line shows another critical choice, but it’s too complicated to explain here. Call us to assist you.

If you haven’t explicitly worded your documents like that – for example, if your will or trust says “to my brother Jim,” but he has died first, and there’s no mention of his children – then the answer may become unnecessarily complicated. The gift would be saved for his immediate family, thanks to “anti-lapse” laws that all states have on the books, but it’s safer not to rely on those laws. Things might get complicated fast, especially if your brother’s family is a “blended” one with numerous stepchildren.

Attorneys Can Help Ensure Your Will or Trust be Established Correctly

Ensure that your will or trust will work the way you want it to with the best solution, a lawyer. We help families with their estate planning needs and would be honored to meet with you.

It’s important to remember that estate planning is not “one and done.” You should update your plan every five years or so (or sooner if you or a loved one’s health changes) to account for any changes in the lives of your beneficiaries or if your goals have changed. We hope you found this article helpful. If you have questions or would like to discuss your personal situation, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 513-771-2444.

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Filed Under: Estate Planning Tagged With: Estate planning, inheritance

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Olivia K. Smith, Attorney at Law
Cornetet, Meyer, Rush & Stapleton Co., L.P.A.
123 Boggs Lane,
Cincinnati, Ohio 45246
Tel: (513) 771-2444
Fax: (877) 483-2119
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Olivia K. Smith, Attorney at Law
Cornetet, Meyer, Rush & Stapleton
123 Boggs Lane
Cincinnati, OH 45246
Phone: 513-771-2444
Fax: 877-483-2119
oksmith@cmrs-law.com

Family Law Attorney Olivia K. Smith, LLC represent clients in Cincinnati, Anderson Township, Batavia, Loveland, Mason, Milford and other communities in Hamilton County, Clermont County, Butler County and Warren County.

Disclaimer: The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. I invite you to contact me and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting me does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to me until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established.

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