Q: If my husband passes before me, what do I have to do to stop my stepchild from contesting my will as I am the sole beneficiary of my husband’s estate? Or can I leave a small something in my will to stop him that way?
A: Assuming your stepchild is eligible to challenge your will, you cannot stop them from doing so. Each state and territory specifies a group of people who are eligible to challenge a will so it’s important to know which group applies in your location. If they are eligible, you can only reduce their prospects of success by using various techniques, including:
What I can say is that:
There are other control techniques around beneficiaries that are more complex but in another ‘der’ moment, you would need to spend some of the inheritance you propose to give to others now by, once again, getting some legal, if not, financial advice.
IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your financial or legal situation, objectives or needs. That means it’s not financial product or legal advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a financial or legal decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get independent, licensed financial services or legal advice.