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This may already have been mentioned, but in the case of a second marriage where the deceased is the biological parent of children that have refused any contact with their parent, it is essential to stipulate in a Will what portion, if any, is to be left to those children. If it is the intent of the parent to leave nothing, it should be stated in the Will with an explanation as to why. This will save the surviving spouse the further grief of having to deal with children they have never met who show up just to see what they can get.

Thanks. This is an important point that has not been mentioned. I would like to add my personal opinion about inheritances. I truly believe that no one owes anything to anyone in their will. I am not talking about minor children who you have a responsibility to provide for, I am talking about your brothers and sisters, your adult children. I believe in those cases inheritances are gifts, and that you should give those gifts to the people you want to have them. As dansangel has pointed out, you may not want to leave anything to a particular person...maybe you haven't seen them in twenty years...maybe they just aren't a nice person...or maybe they gamble and you know they would throw the money away. It doesn't matter what the reason is, it is your money, your inheritance give it to whomever you want. I would make two suggestions for you to discuss with you own attorney: How to make it clear that you are leaving the person out . And, talk to your attorney about a No Contest Clause. I use them all the time. It means the people can either say Thank You for what you did leave them, or they get nothing if they contest the Will. That may sound harsh but it stops alot of fights before they start.