Moral question on inheritance

Dots1982

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If you inherited a house from one deceased parent while the other parent, whose money built the house 40 years ago, was still alive, but living elsewhere having separated from the deceased parent, would you think of allowing the living parent decide the future use of the House?
 
Have you inherited the house?
Is it in your name?
Is probate completed?
If so you may do as you wish with the property.
 
Mother. Father. Separated. House in mother's sole name when she died.

Hers to do with as she wished.

Beneficiaries likewise.

mf
 
It’s not a legal ownership question I’m posing.

It was just a question of if one was to inherit a property, would the person give any thought to the desires of the person who built and developed the property with their own money if they were their son.

Anyway the answers suggest no, they would not.
 
The legal position is clear.

After that, it really is a question of context.

If the father "lost" the house to his wife and is now homeless while the son doesn't need the house, it would seem fair to allow the elderly father to live in the house.

If the father is independently wealthy and expresses the preference that his daughter should have got the house and not the son, then he should be ignored.

Brendan
 
In my view, it depends on the circumstances and the strength of the relationship.

Say the Dad had done a runner with his ‘fancy woman’ many moons ago and left the family in the lurch; someone would be within their rights from a moral perspective to do their own thing.

But say it was just an amicable parting of the ways with everyone still on speaking terms. Personally, I’d chat it through with the surviving spouse out of courtesy whilst retaining the final say in terms of what happens.
 
In my case, the Father was abused verbally by the mother over years and the separation was not amicable but my father leaving my mother was not something I’d view bitterly....like myself and brothers were neutral or advised him to separate.

my father is completely respectful of my mothers wishes with the property‘s division equally between my brothers and I. It’s more the house is ours now legally but ultimately it was my father who truly put his heart and soul into the house So should you ask him and involve him in the decision process?

It’s a moral question for me and my brothers. Was just floating it. It’s personal to everyone.
 
Does your father want any say in it?

Do your brothers and you know what you want to do with it?

There is often a dispute in cases like this and you don't want to make it more complex.

Brendan
 
In my case, the Father was abused verbally by the mother over years and the separation was not amicable but my father leaving my mother was not something I’d view bitterly....like myself and brothers were neutral or advised him to separate.

my father is completely respectful of my mothers wishes with the property‘s division equally between my brothers and I. It’s more the house is ours now legally but ultimately it was my father who truly put his heart and soul into the house So should you ask him and involve him in the decision process?

It’s a moral question for me and my brothers. Was just floating it. It’s personal to everyone.
Taking you and your brothers are in total agreement.
If the house was worth lets just say 400k and there was yourself and 3 brothers you would all receive 100k when sold.
Should you decide to include your father ie. house sold and divide by 5 you would receive 80k. A hit for yourself and your brothers but not huge. Just a suggestion.?
 
There no dispute, there’s no question of offering money to my father from sale. He would not need it as he lives very modestly and has a pension.

This is about my father just having a say if he is ok with selling the house or will he regret the house no longer being in his family name. That’s all.
 
:p
You state your father put his heart and soul into the house. My brother passed away few years back. His wife was not a nice person.
My father who is elderly spoke to myself brother and sister regarding his will. He decided initially not to leave anything to my late brothers family. We suggested leaving something to my brothers children which he did.
You want your father to have a "say" on sale of house. He lives "very modestly and has a pension" Great reason not to be generous to your father.
Personally I think you have a brass neck asking him if its okay to sell the house and then pocketing all the money.
Then again your mother left the house to you and your brothers so just sell it keep the money and in the future at every communion confirmation big family get together toast how decent you were to your father.
Due to the fact he lives a very modest lifestyle and has a pension he might even leave you something in his will. Lol.
 
This is about my father just having a say if he is ok with selling the house or will he regret the house no longer being in his family name. That’s all.

OK. That makes sense.

If the sons get on well with the dad as you seem to, that would be a nice thing to do.

I don't think it's "moral" as such. It's more decent.

Brendan
 
I would involve him in the decision. It sounds like the right thing to do. It should only happen if all beneficiaries agree, otherwise you will just make him sad involving him in family tensions.
 
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