Was your loved one’s estate plan the result of undue influence?

Going through the loss of a loved one is never easy. As you try to navigate your grief, you may still have funeral arrangements in addition to understanding their estate plan.

It can be challenging to know your loved one’s intentions after they passed away. Unfortunately, sometimes it may seem like your loved one’s estate plan was not entirely their idea.

These are some of the signs that someone wrongfully influenced your loved one’s estate plan.

Know who helped with the estate plan

One factor for determining if there was undue influence in the process of writing the will, is the person or people who stepped in to help your loved one. When someone is vulnerable to inappropriate influence, they may not have an accurate understanding of the other person’s motives.

Talk to the other beneficiaries to understand the relationship they had with your loved one. While a change to give someone a more significant inheritance could be a red flag, there could be an aspect of the relationship that you were unaware of.

Was your loved one particularly vulnerable?

It can be difficult to help loved ones when they are susceptible to undue influence while supporting their independence. You do not want to interfere with their choices, but some people could take advantage of your loved one’s generosity.

When you look at your loved one’s estate plan and the changes they made prior to passing away, consider whether those changes gave an influencer a particularly beneficial change to their inheritance.

It is essential to act quickly during the probate process if you think undue influence was a factor in your loved one’s estate plan. You should have knowledgeable support while you are working through this process.