What are my rights to my late parent’s house if I also have a sister who wants a share?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What are my rights to my late parent’s house if I also have a sister who wants a share?
My parents died but they didn’t leave a Will. All they left me was their house, which my kids and I leave in. I took care of them and now my sister is fighting for a share.
Asked on March 25, 2014 under Estate Planning, Texas
Answers:
Brook Miscoski / Hurr Law Office PC
Answered 10 years ago | Contributor
When the parents of a whole-blood brother and sister die without a will in Texas, the typical answer is that the brother and sister (assuming there are no other children of either parent) will each inherit half of their parents' property.
Sometimes, one of the siblings has engaged in significant expense for the care of the deceased parents. In that situation, that sibling might open up an administration and make a claim against the estate. If the parents promised that the home would belong to the caretaker sibling, that would also support the caretaker's claim. A caretaker sibling does have some options, but of course claims are better or worse depending on the strength of evidence and the will of the other sibling to fight.
An attorney could help you determine what your fighting chances are and whether a settlement with your sibling would be appropriate.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.