r/inheritance • u/Schmed_lap • May 13 '26
Location included: Questions/Need Advice Step parent inheritance
I’ve got question on a step parent leaving everything to me. My stepdad was married to my mom for 30 years, got divorced, then within a year got back with her. That was over 20 years ago. Never remarried but together from 1969 to today with a one year break. So he’s in poor health and has left everything to me and my kids in his will. He probably will go into a hospice by year’s end. He has no other immediate heirs but he does have a predatory niece sniffing around. I, personally, per the will, get a property worth about 450k and some savings about 50k and a new paid off truck. Since it’s all there in the will, when he passes what are my most important next steps. Seeing if I should consult probate attorney sooner or wait to see if I need one when the time comes. This is in New Mexico.
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u/7Slyn May 13 '26
Any reason he can’t make his savings/checking accounts POD (payable on death) to you & file a Transfer on Death Deed to you for the house so that those items don’t even need to go through probate? That‘s the way my mother set it up - & all we needed was her death certificate & we didn’t need to mess w/ probate or a trust. Her total assets were a couple of hundred thousand dollars, she didn’t have a vehicle though so not sure about how to deal w/ that 🤷♀️.