Family estrangement is pretty common amongLGBTQ+people. In fact, 31% of LGBTQ+ young adultssaythey worry that their parents or guardians wouldn’t accept them. Some may come around later in life, some may not; but they still might feel some right to their parents’ possessions when they pass away.

Recently, one womanshareda story of how she inherited her neighbor’s estate, but the deceased woman’s estranged gay daughter complicated the situation. After sherefused to share the moneywith the daughter and got some harshly-worded texts, she started to wonder: would she be the bad guy in this situation if she didn’t give her anything?

Bored Pandareached out to the woman who inherited her neighbor’s estate, and she kindly agreed to have a chat with us. Read our short conversation with u/CharacterQuality5429 below!

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A woman befriended her neighbor and ended up the main benefactor of her inheritance

Two women sharing tea and laughter, reflecting on friendship and inheritance discussions.

Image credits:YuriArcursPeopleimages (not the actual photo)

But the deceased woman’s gay estranged daughter demanded a portion of the money

A woman in mourning attire holds lilies and an umbrella at a funeral, related to inheritance issue.

Image credits:seventyfourimages (not the actual photo)

Two professionals discussing inheritance documents in an office setting.

Image credits:katchanatsarin (not the actual photo)

Image credits:CharacterQuality5429

“It wasn’t like she was some withered old lady,” the author tells Bored Panda

The author tells Bored Panda that she didn’t expect her neighbor Valorie to leave her everything in her will. “I was surprised. I didn’t expect it at all and wasn’t quite sure how to feel about it,” she tells us.

At that moment, she didn’t worry about her neighbor’s daughter possibly wanting her share of the inheritance. “Sam never entered my mind when I first found out because she had never responded to Valorie,” the Redditor explains.

u/CharacterQuality5429 hasn’t yet met with a lawyer but is planning to do so later this week. She says she will probably post an update on Reddit if there are any interesting developments. The Redditor hasn’t talked to Sam yet either. “I haven’t responded to [her] yet, because I wanted to talk to the lawyer first. She’s stopped sending messages, though,” she adds.

Unlike some commenters, u/CharacterQuality5429 doesn’t vilify Valorie. “I knew her has a kind and good human,” she reiterates. “We bonded over gardening. We saw each other, at least in passing, almost every day and would hang out for like 3-4 hours at least once a week. We were close friends.”

She also notes that Valorie didn’t seem to have serious health problems and her passing was unexpected. “It wasn’t like she was some withered old lady. Her death was sudden and surprising,” the Redditor tells us.

“If it had happened on a Saturday and I had been home, she might have survived because medical care would have gotten to her sooner.”

Inheritance Drama Ensues After Mom Abandons Daughter For 25 Yrs And Leaves Everything To Neighbor

Image credits:Getty Images (not the actual photo)

Estranged children can contest their parent’s will, but it can be a long and hard process

There seems to be a deepening rift between parents and adult children. A study in 2022reportedthat one in 10 adults say they’reestrangedat least from one parent. And while 81% of estrangements with mothersendin reconciliation, the feud can continue even after the parent’s deceased.

Legal experts say that whether a family member is estranged has no impact on their capacity to contest a will. If the deceased person had no spouse, adult children are the next of kin, and, therefore, direct heirs.

However, most experts warn that contesting a will can be a long and difficult process. If the child is named inthe willas a partial beneficiary already, they might lose their assets if their challenge of the will fails.

But if they really are set on contesting, they would need to prove there are enough grounds to change the will. The experts from the California-based Keystone Law Grouppoint outseven reasons that could be successful when contesting a will:

The attorneys also warn that the success rate of contesting wills is usually low. Courts tend to uphold the wishes of the deceased in most cases unless the contestant can provide really strong evidence.

Inheritance Drama Ensues After Mom Abandons Daughter For 25 Yrs And Leaves Everything To Neighbor

Image credits:Curated Lifestyle (not the actual photo)

Parents should always be the ones to make first contact with an estranged child

The commenters divided themselves into two camps: some thought “Valorie” was a terrible parent for kicking out and then not contacting her gay daughter for years. Others thought “Sam” was wrong to harbor a grudge for so long and refuse to reconnect with her mother.

When it comes to queer children and parents repairing their relationships, parents should be the ones to reach out. That’s what licensed psychologistNathan Brandon, Psy.D., told Bored Panda in aprevious interview.

“The onus of repairing a strained relationship ideally lies on both parties,” he explained to us back then. “However, in cases where parents reject their child’s identity, the primary responsibility should be with the parents to overcome their prejudices.”

But there is a caveat: if the parents are willing to reconnect and are sorry for their past actions, reconciliation would make sense. “Reconciliation is a personal decision that should be made with the well-being of the queer individual at the forefront,” Brandon emphasized.

Some netizens blamed the neighbor, not the author: “Valorie was a bad parent”

Online discussion about sharing inheritance with friend’s daughter.

Text post discussing an inheritance scenario involving a friend’s daughter.

Reddit comment discussing inheritance and ethical considerations with a friend’s daughter.

Commentary discussing inheritance and family estrangement issues.

Comment discussing inheritance and wills, addressing the awareness of the person who left the inheritance.

Text comment discussing not sharing inheritance received from a friend.

Comment discussing inheritance decision and legal advice with focus on friend’s will and daughter.

Reddit comment discussing inheritance and the role of a friend’s daughter in the decision.

Others thought the daughter had valid reasons to be mad and deserved a portion of the inheritance

Reddit comment discussing inheritance issues with a friend and her daughter.

Reddit comment discussing inheritance and family dynamics, addressing emotional conflicts and sharing obligations.

Reddit comment discussing inheritance, addressing ethical issues related to sharing with a friend’s daughter.

Comment discussing inheritance and family dynamics.

Reddit comment discussing inheritance and morality regarding a friend’s daughter’s entitlement.

Reddit comment discussing inheritance, homophobia, and abuse, emphasizing emotional impact and moral judgment.

Reddit comment discussing inheritance received from a friend and its potential moral implications.

User comment discussing inheritance and family dynamics involving an abusive parent.

Reddit comment discussing entitlement and inheritance related to a friend’s daughter.

After her post went viral, the woman provided more details about Valorie and her daughter’s relationship

Text update about reactions to inheritance sharing post.

Text discussing inheritance and character limits in a post.

Timeline of events related to an inheritance, including house downsizing and a death in 2011.

Text about moving into a condo, learning about Sam, and Valorie setting up her will and estate.

Text detailing dates related to inheritance after Valorie’s death and funeral.

Woman sitting on a couch, holding a phone, looking puzzled about inheritance.

Image credits:vadymvdrobot (not the actual photo)

Person packing books into a box next to a mug, related to inheritance discussion.

Image credits:Meteoritka (not the actual photo)

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