I'm smirking at some of the early-posted inheritance stories - that's often how it goes.
First, I got a lot of help from my mother, later in life. I moved back from the Rockies to take a job in my hometown, at least partly because I knew eventually - six years, as it turned out - someone would be needed there. My siblings weren't going to drop everything.
So, when I had my first back attack, having me off work three months - and not much in terms of savings - I got help. I also moved back into the family home - which wasn't really freeloading; I was there as a driver, grocery-shopper, overseer The cancer drugs my mother was on, made her really susceptible to colds and flu. Three trips to the ER in this period.
That said, when younger, I was not her favorite. I was the prodigal son - a drinking problem, didn't finish university, not really a career before I started switching trains. Had her earlier plans followed through - I learned from the estate lawyer - I would have been disinherited.
That would not have surprised me, either. I had given up worrying about it - it was gonna be what it was gonna be. Actions, behaviors, have consequences.
As it happens, the rewritten will had us all share and share alike. Nice idea - two pieces of real estate, one valued at, back then, half a million. Plus some stawk and cash lying around.
Of course, there were problems in execution. I was living in her home when she did succumb. My brother, an early-in tech minor tech magnate, was Executor. A wise choice, on the surface - I wouldn't have had the ability to work through all that Estate Law.
But he had to revert to form, and be an arsehole. First thing he does is order me off the property. Wait, it's my HOME! Look, I'll pay the Estate, RENT, while we sort this out!
Nope. I don't want the responsibility. You gotta leave, in 30 days.
It took a trip to a bargain-basement legal clinic, to sort that out. And I did get it in the neck - the decision (reasonably) between my lawyer and his, was for me to exchange the residence for the resort-rental property my siblings would hold without me.
Fair enough. And of course, plenty of big feelings - we haven't spoken since.
I lost out on that - a few years later I sold the property for $140k before fees. Missing the current bubble.
Meantime the resort property doubled in value and was just sold recently for a million.
And from my other sibling, I get the information that the executor took two-thirds of the proceeds "for the work done on the sale." Since that person is retired now and over 70, it's not like there'd be other things going on.
Hey...it is what it is. I was lucky to get what I did get - many adult children find that their middle-class parents are actually broke, when the estate is liquidated.