When there are siblings contest a trust, more than money is on the line; family ties are at stake. This added wrinkle makes navigating this delicate situation challenging, to say the least. In severe cases, taking legal action against siblings is your only option, but mediation is often preferable to taking siblings to court to preserve your relationships and ensure you can be there for each other when you need each other the most.
At Gokal Law Group, we have helped siblings navigate the complex emotions of trust disputes for years to preserve their relationships and, when necessary, take legal action. Read our blog to learn the emotional toll trust disputes have on siblings.
What is the Emotional Toll on Siblings Contesting a Trust?
The emotional toll of sibling trust disputes cannot be understated. When these disputes start to surface, they can have a severe emotional impact because old sibling rivalries resurface, siblings start feeling suspicious of each other, and feelings of rejection arise.
The Return of Old Rivalries
When siblings are contesting a trust in California, these disputes often bring old rivalries back to the surface. For example, sometimes siblings feel like they deserve a bigger portion of the estate because they helped their parents more toward the end of their lives.
On the other hand, a sibling can also feel like other inheriting siblings receive an unjustly larger inheritance. As a result, deep-seated emotions revolving around favoritism and sibling competition can surface.
When this occurs, the emotional toll can make it difficult for siblings to resolve their dispute and irreparably damage their relationship. Working with a premier attorney can help siblings find a compromise, preserve their relationship, and possibly avoid litigation.
Suspicion of Manipulation
Feelings of distrust and suspicion can also arise when there are siblings contesting a trust in California. When these feelings materialize, there can be severe repercussions on sibling relationships and make it difficult for them to ever trust each other again.
“When one sibling inherits more than another or inherits something with high sentimental value, siblings often accuse others of exercising undue influence. In most cases, this is not what occurred, and they are projecting. When we work with siblings in these situations, we can approach it with an objective eye and help dispel the emotions that cloud judgment during mediation.” – Nicholas D. Porrazzo, Partner and Will Contest Lawyer in California, Gokal Law Group
Feelings of Rejection from Parents
Another significant emotional toll these disputes have on siblings is feelings of rejection. Children misinterpret how much inheritance their parents leave them with as a metric for how much their parents loved them, which is at the heart of these disputes.
When a child feels like they received an unjustly small inheritance, they often feel rejected, and these emotions can be incredibly damaging to their relationship with their siblings.
Premier Counsel for Siblings Contesting a Trust in California
When siblings are in the midst of a trust contest, this often distracts from what the true priority should be: supporting each other in a time of loss. Unfortunately, disputes over inheritance get in the way of this. While sometimes necessary, legal action against siblings should be your last resort. Mediation is usually the best alternative dispute resolution to taking siblings to court. And, at Gokal Law Group, we can help.