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1
Legal Steps to Move Forward After an Untimely Death
2
A First-Timer’s Guide to Pet Prep
3
Slow Cooker Birria Tacos
WWI Inventions Still Used Today
4
Why Intentions Matter in Estate Planning
Avoiding Inheritance Misunderstandings BEYOND FAIR SHARES
When it comes to estate planning, many feel the simplest solution is to distribute everything equally to heirs and avoid the fight. That may look nice and neat on paper, but equal splits can feel anything but fair in practice. In a British Columbia case, a mother left her rental property to be shared between her son and daughter. The arrangement looked straightforward from the outside. However, the daughter discovered that her brother had already received close to $3 million in lifetime gifts from the estate, while her gifts totaled $120,000. She challenged the will, and the court agreed with her. In this case, a tidy 50–50 split didn’t square with the history behind it. Situations like this one show how sensitive inheritances can be. Families often read meaning into bequests. Someone who receives a larger share may be seen as being favored, while a smaller one can feel
like punishment. Even if an estate planning decision is practical, like leaving more for a child who needs it most, it can be misinterpreted and lead to resentment. That’s why families need to sit down and talk through these decisions together. It can be tempting to “settle it in the will” and escape the discomfort of hard conversations, but silence can often cause more pain later. Even if uncomfortable, an open discussion gives everyone a chance to understand intentions before it’s too late. Estate planning should be about more than distributing money. It’s also about preserving relationships and leaving behind clarity and a sense of love in inheritance decisions. Achieving this requires a combination of careful planning and honest conversations. It can be difficult, but you can gift your family assets and understanding with the right approach.
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