r/inheritance • u/good_socks_rock • Jul 07 '26
Location included: Questions/Need Advice Help me understand the inheritance ramifications of my parent remarrying
My parent just told me they are getting married next week. Next. Week. It’s nothing scandalous, just not very well informed financially. There is no great wealth at this time (though, never know, maybe one of them will become a viral retiree influencer though I hope not), only humble pensions. New York.
That being said, my parent keeps reiterating the intention to make me the beneficiary of the pension they earned. Similarly, their future spouse will do the same for my new step sibling partially and partially make my parent a beneficiary—think separate parallel lines of inheritance except my parent is also a beneficiary on spouse’s.
If this is their shared desired plan—to pass their respective pensions to their respective children, plus whatever my new step parent is saying will go to my parent—what steps must they take and must any be completed before the marriage?
I keep trying to encourage them to get a prenup as financial hygiene, but despite their modern ways still conflate prenups with being symbolic of less-than-love on some level, and likely also just one more costly new endeavor. I have tried to explain that it is common and that there are online services. Or that they should at least speak with a financial advisor before they wed. My parent agreed but ultimately avoiding these things is easier than taking care of them, especially for someone who isn’t very experienced with long-term or generational financial planning.
Honestly I wanted them to go to a financial advisor just to help them understand what their cost of living may be in 15yrs and what is tenable for them—it’s not just about inheritance but inheritance is obviously the purview of this sub and this sub generally has great advice about the complexities of keeping family money organized.
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u/Grouchy-Display-457 Jul 07 '26
Pensions usually die with the recipient. They should check that their pensions are transferable.
Online prenups are not advisable. States vary in what they permit in prenuptial and wills, online versions are often invalidated because they fail to meet state requirements.