Hi - I couldn't get this to post the first time. Question for anyone - my father died 4 months ago, we received the will this past week. I have had an attorney review it. My father left the 3 of us nothing, and we're rather confused as to why. Particularly me. His second wife inherited all. The weird thing is, my estranged brother was made the 2nd executor, not me - right here, close to my dad, and a paralegal....he received some personal items, the two daughters nothing. The other questionable thing is she dragged him in to do a will at 80.5 yrs old, nearly 3 years after he was diagnosed with dementia. The attorney says I can contest the will, but of course that will cost more than all of us have. Any thoughts? Thank you much.
It is very common for one spouse to leave the whole estate to the other spouse, even a step-parent, especially if they had been married for many years.
As for your Dad making out a updated Will, again, which is very common because State laws do change. If this Will was drawn through an Attorney's office, then it was up to the Attorney to decide if your Dad was able to understand what he was signing. Apparently he was.
Also it is not uncommon for the sons to receive items from the estate, it an old stereotype that the sons have families to take care of, where the daughters have or will have husbands to take care of them. It's an old fashion way of thinking.
That is why it is better to think one will not inherit anything, and then be surprised if you do.