Disinherit Law & Legal Definition
Disinherit means to deliberately prevent someone from inheriting something under a will or remove as an heir. Because most states allow a spouse a community property share or a statutory amount of an estate, a spouse may not be completely disinherited.
Many states have laws allowing a child to inherit if they were born after the will was made and the siblings are provided for in the will. Such laws assume the parent inadvertently neglected to revise their will. To disinherit a child, language is often placed in a will to show the omission was intentional and prevent a dispute. Typical language is "I have previously taken care of my daughter Mary during my lifetime, and have chosen to leave nothing to her in this will" or, "for reasons known to both of us, I am leaving nothing to my son Robert."
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