This is not my situation but is happening to a friend of mine and I don't even know how to advise her.

My friend's Mom died. Very quickly her Dad remarried someone who was my friends age. The Dad is in his 60s. The friend is in her 30s. The new wife is in her 30s. She claimed to be a 'writer' but it turns out she had one article published years ago and has no money, no job, and doesn't want kids. The Dad has lots of money and is retired. They have a gorgeous cottage, waterfront property, two house, they travel around the world all year round. Neither works. It was all his before they married.

My friend and her husband (who have children) are worried that this new wife will inherit it all when he goes. They tried to gently bring it up and he said he doesn't have a will and he's not going to write one. (He thinks he will live forever .. which is probably why he married someone half his age).

When he dies, they will lose it all, the family cottage, the real estate, everything. Is there anything you would advise her? I don't know what to tell her.

It just doesn't seem right that this new young wife will get everything that's been in the family for generations because her Dad won't write a will.

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I'm sorry for the loss of your friends mom, that had to be hard on her father as well.

This may come across as harsh, but it isn't "her" money to worry about. She did not earn the money so they have no "claim" on it per se. If Dad doesn't want to write a will, that's his prerogative.

We have a "will" situation going on in my extended family right now where some kids think they're 'entitled' to money if a certain person dies; and frankly at this point I wish he'd leave it all to a children's charity or animal shelter and teach them all a lesson...It isn't "their" money to fight over.

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Does Money Matter?

I couldn't agree with you more. The money is not hers to worry about. It belongs to her father and he is free to do with it as he pleases...even it means he leaves it all to his new wife. I'm not trying to be mean or anything...but the fact that your parent has properties and money does not entitle you to anything they don't want to give you. We only have control of what is ours. Just my opinion.

You know I agree .. but I also know what it's like to have a family cottage that has been in the family for generations. I can't imagine losing it to someone else who may go on to marry someone else and leave it to their extended family. But you are right. It's not theirs. He is 69 now. He could live for decades more. I just know I'd be upset to lose the cottage to someone I felt was using my Dad.

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It's unfortunate, but the wife will get everything if there's no will with a provision for his children. Nice work - marry someone 30 years older who has loads of assets and not enough sense to try to protect the interests of his OWN family - CHA-CHING.

Unfortunately, there is nothing she can do. It isn't hers and she can't really have a say. She might appeal to her dad if it was in her mom's family to leave it to her, but that is all. I would be crushed if my Dad did that with my mom's family's farm.

Is there a way she could talk to her father about "purchasing" (even if only for $1 just to get it into her name) the cottage so that it goes into her name?I f they are always traveling and have other homes they can use one of those as their 'base'.

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Does Money Matter?

The whole situation stinks (and is fairly common). I would be disgusted if my mom died and my dad turned around and married someone my age - ewww. The man is 69 - believe me he knows he's going to die. He knows exactly what he's doing and what the end results will be. It's too bad he placed a higher priority on going after a young piece of a** than his family.

PS - I understand the other posters' sentiments that the money isn't hers, etc., but as a parent I cannot imagine putting some young piece of tail ahead of my own child. I will take care of her when I'm gone above any new guy in my life. I sure wouldn't leave her with nothing.

JMO, but she should write her dad a letter, not disparaging the new wife, but rather trying to show support, knowing he must be grieving, then she should go into letting him know that one day he will pass on, and this new wife will attain everything that him and mom shared together and that this hurts her and she always thought "things" would stay in the family..... in other words, she should be honest, yet gentle not to make him feel like an a$$ for his recent decisions

Honey, pieces of tail end up coming before blood way more often than you think. My dad's piece of tail will get everything and so will the tail's daughter. Do I hate that? You bet. Am I gonna fight it? Nope. I'm not entitled to it even though I would like to have some of it.