[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/blog\/3-common-reasons-for-estate-disputes\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/blog\/3-common-reasons-for-estate-disputes\/","headline":"3 Common Reasons for Estate Disputes","name":"3 Common Reasons for Estate Disputes","description":"Estate disputes are more common than many people realize \u2013 and they can end up tearing a family apart. Understanding the common reasons for inheritance disputes may help you take a more strategic approach to your estate planning process so that your family doesn\u2019t end up in litigation after your death. Some of the biggest […]","datePublished":"2024-08-06","dateModified":"2025-03-18","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/blog\/author\/penningtonlaw\/#Person","name":"Pennington Law, PLLC","url":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/blog\/author\/penningtonlaw\/","identifier":6,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/35dc6853b9d9833af8623c784bd8cc1436ceca0be7925133d99c37afece2b1e9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/35dc6853b9d9833af8623c784bd8cc1436ceca0be7925133d99c37afece2b1e9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Pennington Law, PLLC","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/logo-2.png","url":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/logo-2.png","width":209,"height":126}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Add-a-heading-7.png","url":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Add-a-heading-7.png","height":800,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/blog\/3-common-reasons-for-estate-disputes\/","video":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=W7p2jNZxDec#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=W7p2jNZxDec","name":"What are the Common Misconceptions About Estate Planning","description":"What are the Common Misconceptions About Estate Planning","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/W7p2jNZxDec\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/W7p2jNZxDec\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/W7p2jNZxDec\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/W7p2jNZxDec\/sddefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/W7p2jNZxDec\/maxresdefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2024-08-27T09:04:35+00:00","duration":"PT1M53S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/W7p2jNZxDec","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC1Pr6qXTG5w6YcsNzz4MjRw#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC1Pr6qXTG5w6YcsNzz4MjRw","name":"Andre L. Pennington","description":"","logo":{"url":"https:\/\/yt3.ggpht.com\/ytc\/AIdro_mm6ir65S-PSG1kE7YGES4k5iKneJHPBSJaq8IVTDZt2Q=s800-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj","width":800,"height":800,"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=W7p2jNZxDec#VideoObject_publisher_logo_ImageObject"}},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=W7p2jNZxDec#VideoObject_potentialAction","target":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=W7p2jNZxDec&t={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"},"interactionStatistic":[[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=W7p2jNZxDec#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_WatchAction","interactionType":{"@type":"WatchAction"},"userInteractionCount":6}]]},"about":["Estate Planning"],"wordCount":291,"articleBody":"Estate disputes are more common than many people realize \u2013 and they can end up tearing a family apart.Understanding the common reasons for inheritance disputes may help you take a more strategic approach to your estate planning process so that your family doesn\u2019t end up in litigation after your death. Some of the biggest issues include:1. IntestacyNot having an estate plan because you think you don\u2019t have enough assets to bother or because you\u2019ve expressed your wishes to your loved ones is always a major problem. When you die \u201cintestate,\u201d or without a will, the state will set the rules for how your assets are distributed \u2013 and your heirs may have to raise legal claims to get what they believe is fair. To protect your loved ones from a potential financial nightmare, you need to get a basic will (at least) in place.2. Blended familiesIt\u2019s no longer unusual for people to find love a second or third time around \u2013 but that means that there are a lot of blended families out there. When children from first marriages and second spouses, in particular, have different expectations about how an estate\u2019s assets will be distributed, huge disputes can result. Good estate planning can make sure that everybody\u2019s interests are fairly protected.3. Ambiguous willsPoorly drafted wills are a primary cause behind many estate battles. This often happens with \u201cdo-it-yourself\u201d wills that people find online because they can include ambiguous language, contradictory clauses and generally unclear language.A badly written will can be even more problematic than no will at all, so it\u2019s important to get experienced legal guidance with yours. Contact us\u00a0online or call today for a free consultation with\u00a0Pennington Law, PLLC."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"3 Common Reasons for Estate Disputes","item":"https:\/\/www.penningtonestateplanning.com\/blog\/3-common-reasons-for-estate-disputes\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]