Q: If my husband passes before changing his will, who will benefit?
My husband's will was written during his previous marriage with his ex-wife and daughter as beneficiaries. He has every intention of changing it but has not yet. My concern is losing the house which is solely in his name and having to start all over because I did not receive anything from his estate. I would sleep better at night knowing I won't be left desolate if he passes before changing it.
Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
- Tennessee
- (931) 250-8585
- View Profile
- Answered
A:
If your husband dies without changing his will, his estate will pass as if his former wife (still mentioned in the will) had predeceased him. It doesn't revoke the whole will, however, so chances are his daughter would inherit his entire estate, subject to your right to take an elective share against his will. That elective share could be anywhere between 10% and 40%, depending on how long you were married.
For more complete and definitive advice, take his will to an estate planning attorney for review. Better yet, he should take his will to an estate planning attorney to have it updated.
Anthony M. Avery agrees with this answer
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
