Are family conflicts a source of trust litigation?

family stress

No two California families are alike. Estate planning often takes this into consideration by allowing for many different options and designs when it comes to creating a plan, including leaving assets in a trust for the benefit of one or more family members. However, there may not be a foolproof way of keeping family conflicts from devolving into trust litigation.

These issues can arise due to a variety of reasons. One of the most common is unrealistic expectations. They expect to get more money or assets than they actually do.

Some families simply do not get along. Even so, a parent may want to provide at least something for each child. In many cases, the provisions made are different for each child, which may automatically provide a point of contention for siblings who do not see eye to eye already.

Unless the California resident who created the trust sits the beneficiaries down to fully explain how things will work and what they can expect, disappointment could easily happen. This is why lack of communication is also a common reason for disputes when it comes to inheritances and trust distributions. Some sources indicate that as many as 69 percent of these disputes arise due to a failure to communicate.

Whether an individual is the trustee or a beneficiary, handling these conflicts may present a challenge. It may help to gain a better understanding of the trust’s provisions and determine how to best address an issue. If necessary, trust litigation may be required in order to resolve the dispute.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *