about a will
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
about a will
our grandmother is selling her home after our grandfather passed and we have been told that if she does then she has to split it with the kids. Is that true
Asked on June 2, 2009 under Estate Planning, Louisiana
Answers:
B. B., Member, New Jersey Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 15 years ago | Contributor
That's probably not true at all, unless your grandfather's share of the house went into a trust of some sort. Ordinarily, in most states, where a house is owned jointly by husband and wife, when one of them passes, the surviving spouse becomes the sole owner, immediately and by operation of law, and can turn around and sell the property without anyone else's permission, and it has nothing to do with the first spouse's estate or will, if any.
If you have any reason at all to believe that there is something in your case that would give the children any rights to the house, while grandmother is still alive, you should talk to a real estate lawyer in your area, who can give you sound advice based on all of the facts and the laws of your state (which can differ, sometimes, on questions like these). One place to look for an attorney is our website, http://attorneypages.com
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.