My stepmom stole our inheritance without telling us and now we want to reclaim it – are we being too harsh?

Losing a parent can be devastating. And things can become even harder when you’re left to deal with the financial repercussions, which could mean having to chase down an inheritance that’s rightfully yours.

In this Reddit post, we have someone who lost their father and is convinced that their stepmother stole their inheritance. They were contacted by someone about their father’s will, which they knew nothing about, and when they asked the stepmother about it, she claimed there was no will.

However, things aren’t sitting right with the poster. They can’t imagine their father would’ve left nothing behind for them, and they don’t know where to start.

They’re also don’t want to wrong their stepmother by taking money she might need. However, they’re convinced they’re not being told the truth and want to get to the bottom of things.

This situation is truly an unfortunate one. But I think the poster should not hesitate to claim what’s theirs.

Go after your money

Hiding a will is not okay. If that’s what the stepmother is doing here, then there’s really no excuse for it, and the poster should dig deeper to find out what the scoop is.

To this end, they should hire an attorney to do that digging. Wills have to be filed in court, and a lawyer might be able to do some investigating and find out what assets the poster is entitled to.

In addition to assets transferred by a will, there may be other assets the poster is entitled to. For example, the father who passed may have had a 401(k) plan, investments, and other funds with the poster as a designated beneficiary. There may also be some life insurance the poster is entitled to. So they should definitely get a lawyer.

And they should definitely not hesitate to go after assets they’re entitled to. If the father wanted the stepmother to inherit certain assets and their child to get other assets, those wishes should be honored — not hidden.

It’s best to have open conversations

The situation here perhaps could’ve been avoided had the family had an honest conversation about inheritances from the start. Since that didn’t happen, now the poster is left scrambling to find information.

If you have an inheritance to share with family members, it’s a good idea to sit everyone down together and discuss who will get what. And it’s also smart to consult an attorney and financial advisor to figure out what estate-planning tools to use to pass down an inheritance.

Wills, for example, are a popular choice, but they come with drawbacks, such as the fact that they have to go through probate. A living trust could be a better option, since it won’t be subject to probate, but the cost to set it up may be higher.

That’s why it’s best to think about estate planning ahead of time, and to make everyone who’s important to you a part of it. Having those discussions while you’re still alive could spare your family a world of heartache and aggravation after you pass.

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