From the Vault
I just wish my father was more open about his intentions when he wrote his will and explained his distrust of and disappointment in my younger brother, Bill, after Bill made some bad decisions early on in his life. My dad gave the bulk of his estate to me and left Bill a minimal inheritance. My brother didn’t speak to me for five years.
It was not just the content of the will that caused the rift; it was the blatant lack of communication when my dad told nobody but his attorney about his wishes. In retrospect, I wish my dad was more open and transparent.
I ended up sharing part of the inheritance with Bill and we are now reunited but we could have avoided years of regret and heartache if my father had more thoroughly planned his estate.
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