Losing a parent is something that most of us never want to think about until we absolutely have to. It’s too painful to imagine your beloved mother or father being gone. But when that terrible day finally comes, there are suddenly dozens of practical matters and logistics to consider, which can quickly become overwhelming.

And unfortunately for one woman, being the executor of her mother’s will meant dealing with her difficult brothers. Below, you’ll find a story that was recently shared on the Petty Revenge subreddit, detailing how this woman managed to get back at her siblings for refusing to accept the conditions of their mom’s will. 

This woman’s brothers were not happy with the decisions their mother made in her will

Image credits: Matthias Groeneveld / Pexels (not the actual photo)

So when they decided to fight it, their sister decided that they no longer deserved to be buried where they wanted to

Image credits: bernardbodo / Envato Elements (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Stephen Phillips / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Kampus Production / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: RomanBeliakov / Envato Elements (not the actual photo)

Image credits: nandor_delarentis

Image credits: Rawpixel / Envato Elements (not the actual photo)

It’s common for families to argue over inheritance

We all know that our parents aren’t going to be around forever. But no matter how old they are, the pain of losing one can be unbearable. If they were your best friend, your biggest supporter, your role model or even if you had a complicated relationship, it can be incredibly difficult to say goodbye to Mom or Dad. When you must, however, you’re likely not only dealing with grief. There might be plenty of practical matters on your plate as well.

You might suddenly find yourself alerting relatives, planning a funeral, canceling their credit cards and memberships, packing up their home and finding out what’s written in their will. And while money and property are the last things most of us have on our minds when a parent passes, they can be extremely sensitive topics while grieving.

According to Estate Planning, it’s common for families to quarrel over inheritance for several reasons. First, they might feel like they need something tangible from their parent to prove how loved they were. They may be looking for something to ease their fears about being forgotten or having to accept that their loved one is truly gone. 

Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Certain situations do justify contesting a will

It’s also a fact that we, as humans, are predisposed to conflict and competition, Estate Planning notes. So we might unintentionally become competitive about who gets what when a parent is gone. Inheritance can be a sign of approval as well, and some people begin to feel insecure about the relationship that they had with their parent if they don’t believe they were left an adequate amount of money or assets.

We also tend to feel, or assume we’re being, excluded even when we might not be. It’s natural for the loss of a loved one, especially an unexpected loss, to cause fears and anxieties to surface. So those fears might manifest in stress about inheritance. Finally, Estate Planning adds that family members with mental health issues or personality disorders can certainly make divvying up inheritances more stressful.  

So when a sibling is dissatisfied with what their parent has decided in their will, is there anything they can do to fight it? This will depend on where you live and the laws present, but Andrew M. Lamkin P.C. notes on his site that there are several common grounds under which siblings may choose to contest wills. For example, if the parent who has passed had a “lack of capacity,” or was not in their proper state of mind when the will was written, it can be contested. 

Image credits: Rawpixel / Envato Elements (not the actual photo)

There are measures parents can take when they’re still around to try to prevent inheritance disputes

Improper execution of the will is also an issue. This might mean that the will was missing witnesses, wasn’t signed by the deceased, was missing the power of attorney’s information or any other details required by law. A will can also be contested if the person who passed had “undue influence,” or was pressed by someone else to execute the will. And finally, if the document is fraudulent at all, it can be challenged. 

But just because someone in the family has an issue with the will does not mean it’s necessarily worth it to fight it. Contesting a will can be a long, expensive, painful process that can tear families apart. To try to minimize or prevent estate battles, Investopedia recommends that parents take some steps while they’re still around. For example, giving gifts during their lifetime can eliminate the need to fight about who gets them later.

It’s also wise to tag items with a child or relative’s name, so they’ll know in the future that it was meant for them. Allowing siblings to take turns in choosing items they like is also an option. Or parents can use a lottery system to figure out who gets each coveted item.

It’s understandable that emotions will be running high after a parent has passed. But it’s best for families to lean on each other while grieving, rather than try to push one another apart. We would love to hear your thoughts on this story in the comments below, pandas. Then, if you’d like to read another Bored Panda piece discussing inheritance drama, look no further than right here!

Amused readers shared their reactions to the story, and some added suggestions for even more petty revenge

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