Am I Entitled to Part of My Ex-Husband’s Inheritance?
I used to be married to a “consumer” for 25 years. He had used others earlier than me. I used to be the breadwinner by means of its entirety. He not often held any kind of job and went by means of all my property although his dad and mom have been highly effective and rich.
I used to be afraid to depart him attributable to their energy and was all the time instructed by his dad and mom that every thing would even be mine at their deaths. I attempted to get one thing legally in writing, however their legal professional suggested them towards it.
I caught it out. They handed away. I used to be left almost penniless whereas he inherited over half 1,000,000 {dollars}, if no more. I used to be instructed I’m not entitled to something he was bequeathed. He was an solely youngster.
I used to be instructed that he might take half of my pension for all times and that I might should pay him alimony. I labored so exhausting for a few years to be left with nothing. He’s even capable of obtain my Social Safety.
We received divorced 10 years in the past and it nonetheless stings. Do I’ve any recourse?
-Empty-Handed Ex
Pricey Empty-Handed,
There’s no state of affairs I can think about the place you’re capable of get a bit of your ex’s inheritance. I want I had higher information to give you. However maybe accepting this can make it easier to discover closure for a painful chapter of your life.
Even when one partner is the breadwinner, most cash earned throughout a wedding is taken into account marital property, which means it will get cut up between each spouses (although not essentially 50/50). However inheritances and items are normally handled as separate property, which solely belong to 1 partner and aren’t divided up throughout divorce.
In case your late in-laws had supposed for each of you to inherit their cash, they need to have listed you as a beneficiary of their will or belief. I’m guessing they knew that and lied to you after they promised you half of every thing. I’m so sorry you have been manipulated on this means.
If it’s any comfort, maybe it’s that you just by no means should cope with your ex-husband once more. (You’re in all probability right in that he can use your work file to get Social Safety, however that doesn’t have an effect on you in any means.) Even when there was a chance of getting this cash, I’d think about you’d be in for a protracted and protracted courtroom battle. And after 10 years, who is aware of if there’s even any cash left to battle over?
It’s comprehensible why you’re nonetheless hurting, even 10 years later. You have been used and lied to, but you don’t have any recourse. However typically accepting an disagreeable actuality can truly be empowering.
You realize that you just’re not getting a bit of your ex-husband’s inheritance, so you can also make plans accordingly. Possibly that may imply working longer than you’d hoped or downsizing in retirement. These in all probability aren’t the options you need to hear. However transferring ahead, at the least you can also make selections primarily based on actuality, slightly than some distant hope of getting a part of an inheritance.
Ending this marriage clearly got here at a excessive price to you. Which will nonetheless sting, however I hope you understand it was value each BGTIME Reader to have this man out of your life.
Robin Hartill is a licensed monetary planner and a senior author at The BaghdadTime. Ship your difficult cash inquiries to [email protected].
