Ignorance is not always a bliss.
By vanny
@vandana7 (99020)
India
December 14, 2018 12:00pm CST
My relatives have constantly presumed that whatever is on dad's name, even though earned by me, if inherited by me would be ancestral in nature. Therefore, they would have a right on it.
I too believed that to be true, and it was a gray area, causing me a lot of distress.
Should they take it, I would not be able to repay some of my debts. May be even face hard times going ahead.
That is why I had given dad an ultimatum. Look, I won't force you to do anything. Just don't give them an access to me. What you know to be mine, you will it to me.
For a long time, dad believed that they will look after me, till logic struck him too.
Distance is complete.
Now I found this link that says relatives have absolutely no right. Implication is that they would be committing a serious crime leading to imprisonment should they do so.
Me says, I have feared this for well over 30 years. Had I known this earlier, or had resources to check it out, things would have been different. I would have feared less, and fought less. I would have thrown the provisions at their face, and they would also have behaved themselves.
But I am not lamenting the time loss. For all that I know they would have acted love, and still got it out from me. At least, right now they are claiming as legal right, which they do not know that they do not have.
Only if I had known it earlier, I would have been more at peace though.
Do you search for answers to your problems on net? I do so periodically. It is only recently that this question has been answered.
13 people like this
11 responses
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
15 Dec 18
I'm curious, Top... If the thing is ancestral, doesn't that mean that you inherited it from your ancestors? Why couldn't you will that to your own children?
I think you aren't understanding something that vanny didn't make clear. Her family are wanting things that were willed to her through her mother. I think, by their laws, that the things belong to her dad, since he is her closest male relative. He must will them to her next. (And I could have totally misunderstood both what vanny is saying and what you are asking, too.)
3 people like this
@vandana7 (99020)
• India
15 Dec 18
@topffer Yeah...if the property is ancestral, I would not have any rights to will it to anybody else. That means they would step in to ensure that I do not do anything that would jeopardize their interests. Once in my house, they could make me their slave, beat me deny me food, treat me as servant, and since there would be nobody to ask about me, it would pretty much go on without any problem. I would not be allowed to move out of the house, I would become their domestic servant. Something like that. The worst case scenario, they could even kill me.
I am not imagining top. It has happened in dad's generation.
1 person likes this
@much2say (53942)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Dec 18
My dad's side of the family - everything was good and loving that my dad would even say there were never any fights and foolishness with any of the siblings. Well when my grandmother (in Japan) passed away - oh, the true colors came out - and my uncle decided he had the right to take everything (long story). It doesn't feel good to have the carpet pulled from under your feet as they say. My dad does not know how to use a computer - but somehow he did his research on Japan's inheritance laws.
2 people like this
@vandana7 (99020)
• India
3 Jan 19
I do not know why people get so greedy for what is not theirs. Even when I gave dad the ultimatum to draw up the will, I had specifically told him, ensure that what I have established in your name, out of my earnings, is returned to me, and that my relatives have no access to me. I did not ask him for whatever little he had established on his name. Now, even that is not his, because I have maintained him, and paid his medical expenses. But if you look at it, he has helped me in my finance management. So he deserves quite a lot of it. :) Just that he realized in time that his daughter would be the one to suffer. Relatives had their colors wrapped so well in front of him, and only shown their evil selves to me, that he would not believe me, until I produced evidences and appealed to his logic.
1 person likes this
@much2say (53942)
• Los Angeles, California
4 Jan 19
@vandana7 In my uncle's case, everyone says he was probably forced into early retirement at his corporate job - maybe his reserves were running out, so maybe he needed the money. But how greedy to think he would take ALL of it. And the sad thing is my aunt (the youngest) who lives here may have been in on it (long story) - did they conspire to do this together? It's sick anyway - my father will not forgive them.
Yep - it's the ones who are left here that ultimately suffer.
1 person likes this
@skysnap (20154)
•
14 Dec 18
I have had that fear of siblings taking the property. It's not like I alone can manage it. But one of my elder sister wants me out of property and she is making sure that I don't have family and kids so that her sons can take over my parents property. God knows what type of issues are ahead in my life.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (99020)
• India
18 Dec 18
@skysnap In my case, 70-80 percent of what is on dad's name is mine. I was constantly preparing for separate independent living for him and I. Kinda if I had to get married, he should not accompany me, and be treated badly at in-laws place. You know...like servants or drivers. He should have self respect and so should I. That was the plan. It is a different issue that he disrupted my plans n number of times otherwise, today I am sure we would be worth at least twice what we are worth. Since he knows that what is on his name is actually mine I had to give him ultimatum. He realized in time, and executed a will for that I am grateful to god.
Whatever he inherited he liquidated at the instance of his brother and sister. They took away all that money ...brother drank it away, sister used it for her children. Brother even kept on taking away his savings periodically, leaving him nothing for his retirement. His sisters family too took away his savings. I have had to literally start from scratch with only a small property that was bought on my mom's name to help me. That too they tried to ask him to liquidate, and when I prevented it, they took cudgels against me, defaming me. What my mother inherited, they took away during her lifetime even though she was a minor.
Because of all such factors, I find it very difficult to trust people.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (99020)
• India
15 Dec 18
You do need to ask your parents to write SETTLEMENT DEED in your favor. That will ensure that it is not disputed in court. Life is unfair towards unmarried and childless people. Sorry. But your parents do have a right to will away their properties to who so ever they wish ..if it does not fall within the definition of ancestral property as I mentioned.
For whatever it is worth, do read the link..
1 person likes this
@skysnap (20154)
•
16 Dec 18
@vandana7 Whatever the property we have right now is earned by father. and considering I am not married he is not kind of happy with me. I guess only mother can convince him of writing deed. But then again I have no control. I will take a look at link.
1 person likes this
@sabtraversa (13067)
• Italy
14 Dec 18
The internet is not always a bliss either, because of fake news and info, but hopefully the question about ancestral property was answered correctly. 
I usually rely on the internet, but sometimes an expert might be needed.
Inheritance laws can be quite complex, that's why I believe it's important to write down a full detailed will. Greed can be stronger than common sense and family wars take place. 
I usually rely on the internet, but sometimes an expert might be needed.
Inheritance laws can be quite complex, that's why I believe it's important to write down a full detailed will. Greed can be stronger than common sense and family wars take place. 2 people like this
@vandana7 (99020)
• India
15 Dec 18
Yes! I spent a lot of time to confirm that. I am so relieved about it. The difference is, now they can't claim anything and if they do try to take anything from me, they will go directly to prison since they have no rights what so ever...pretty much like robbery and assault. Earlier, the matter could be dragged to courts. Now no.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157722)
• United States
14 Dec 18
I am glad that this burden has been lifted and you can worry less going forward.
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
14 Dec 18
Hope everything comes out right for you so you can have more peace and quiet.
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
15 Dec 18
Yes, Pretty and I both make frequent use of the internet to find the answers to things that puzzle or annoy us. That does include things that the law in the US says.
I would help you look for things like that, but I am not always sure that you want my help, vanny. 
1 person likes this
