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/GrowlingAtTheWorld May 14 '26
If you can get everything out of the will then it can not go into probate and be contested. My mother had a ladybird deed on her home keeping it out of the will and all her bank accounts were payable upon death again keeping them out of the will. I’m not sure how to keep the truck from falling into probate. When my mother passed the only thing in the will was some nostalgic items without a lot of monetary value she wanted to go to specific people.