Legally more likely than not the aunts kids should get half the money. Your dad is wrong, morally and probably legally as well.

Yeahhhhhh I think your dad is wrong. Half should go to the cousins.

If your uncle thinks half is for his kids, tell him to take your father to court. He will lose.

When my grandfather died, my mother got his assets. Her brother died a few years before. My uncle's kid did not get his father's share. Only the surviving child/adult gets what is left. Your father could on his own share but he doesn't have to. I wouldn't.

I don't think your father *has* to split the money, but it sort of violates the spirit of your Granfather's wishes. We ran into a similar situation with my FIL. He lived with, but never married, a woman for 20 years after my husband's mother passed. To us in all intents and purposes she was his wife. He adjusted his will after conferring with his 2 children, so that she was given all his retirement and other assets. A year after he passed another, apparently forgotten, stock account was found for about 100K (how you forget that I don't know, but it was and was not included in the will). My husband gave his half to my (what we consider) MIL. His sister balked initially although she eventually came around. The spirit of my FIL wishes was that MIL get everything to make sure she was taken care of. She worked all her life as a secretary so has some cash of her own and a pension (not a ton), and their condo is paid for. She has no children, is in her 80s and to be honest we'll get whatever is left anyway, but the point was he wanted her to have it and we wanted to honor that.

While I think your Grandfather was clear in his wishes (assets split between children) there is also the honorable thing to do which is to treat this "found" money like his father wished.

Your father is dishonorable, greedy and very petty. I would be very careful of him. You never know when he may turn on you.

Nope. Your father gets it all. He is the only surviving one. Your uncle is wrong.

Anonymous wrote:I think your father is being very childish and unfair. Half the money should go to your cousins.

+1

Anonymous wrote:Your grandfather was clear with his instructions, and they should be honored. Your father should keep the money.

This is me. I forgot that the aunt was alive when the grandfather passed (thank you, other 22:42) so I agree that half is owed to the aunt's children.

Your grandfather was clear with his instructions, and they should be honored. Your father should keep the money.

The estate lawyer could figure this out pretty quickly, but the aunt was alive when they died so it should go to her estate.

Anonymous wrote:I think your father is being very childish and unfair. Half the money should go to your cousins.

+1

The other half belongs to your cousins. Your father is upset with his father and takes it out on the cousins. Their mom is dead, they might need the money. Sorry, don't see your dad's point of view. If he had something to tell grandpa, why didn't he do it when he was alive.
I'm surprised the law doesn't make him pay it to the cousins.

I think your father is being very childish and unfair. Half the money should go to your cousins.

You say you see both sides, so I assume both sides are reasonable. Therefore it is the failings of the individuals. Stay out of it. Hope that life is long. Long enough for these people to make peace at some future time.

My grandfather passed away 10 years ago, and all of his assets were divided among his two children - my father, and his sister (my aunt). Sadly, my aunt then passed away 5 years ago and everything my aunt received from the will/estate was then given to my cousins (her children) by my uncle (their father). Fast forward to a year ago, when my dad was contacted because there was some stock account in my grandfather's name that was never liquidated and the proceeds of $50,000 were then given to my dad. The stipulation on the account was that in the case of death, the money would go to the account holder's children. Since my aunt died, my dad received it all.

I guess my uncle received a letter about it in addition to my dad, but was not able to claim any of the money since my aunt had passed away. So instead my uncle went to my dad and asked him to give him half of the money to give to my cousins as it was their share. My dad said no, that the money was only supposed to go to the living children so it is his, and he doesn't need to give them anything. The main reason my dad doesn't want to give them the money is because he felt like my grandparents always have my aunt money and never him, so my dad had to work hard to be successful and my aunt never even had to work. For example my grandparents bought my aunt and uncle their first house, yet not my mom and dad simply because my dad was a hard worker. So he feels like he is owed this money.

This has essentially created world war 3 in my family, which is sad because we really don't have any other relatives and I hate to see this be the end of what was a close family relationship - especially with the holidays coming up.

Would love to know who's side everyone is on. I am truly torn as I see both sides.