War for inheritance in families

This text belongs to the Bolsillo newsletter, which is sent every Sunday.

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
18 November 2023 Saturday 09:29
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War for inheritance in families

This text belongs to the Bolsillo newsletter, which is sent every Sunday. If you want to receive it, sign up here.

If your family has property, money, and several interested parties, a dispute may be warranted. Grandma's house, her uncle's land, the apartment where she grew up... When it comes to inheritances, even the most united siblings end up fighting. Everyone believes they have the right to everything and problems come to the surface, although there is always a solution (or there should be...).

Fights. 80% of inheritances end in arguments between family members. Alejandro Ebrat, an expert inheritance lawyer, warns this (Podcast). Let's put ourselves in a situation: the head of the family dies and the house of his entire life goes to the inheritance, to be distributed among several people. One loves it, the other doesn't but wants compensation... "There are more and more people who resign to avoid fighting with their brother," he says. Leaving property to be distributed is one of the worst possible ideas. Just like bequeathing everything to your spouse or not planning.

Destroyed floors. The problems are not new. They repeat, they multiply. Some are common with inheritances and usually have a solution. Among them, it is not at all unusual for the inheritance to consist of an old apartment that needs a facelift or a good renovation. If there are several heirs, the problem is agreeing what to do with it. To get out of the quagmire, it can be renovated and brought to the market. There are interventions that can revalue a flat by up to 40%.

Order at home. The drop in temperatures or the change of time leaves us with colder and darker hours. Electricity consumption rises and the debate resurfaces about whether it is better to have the electricity bill in the regulated market - where the price varies every day - or free - with a fixed rate. The reality is that it will depend on when you consume... Changes are also coming in the neighborhood communities. It is not good news, because it is time to say goodbye to cheap gas.

More challenges. Continuing to consume fresh products with rising prices is more difficult, but not impossible. Habits are adapted to maintain a healthy diet. You choose to go for offers, buy in bulk or choose better where you buy. The mortgage also hurts, with increases that are not the same for everyone: at the beginning of the credit the pull of the Euribor can multiply the increase by 24 compared to other times. The bank is clear and says that it is neither necessary nor urgent to extend aid to mortgage holders.

Test yourself. There are three questions that define whether you have financial competencies or fall short. At stake is whether you know how inflation really impacts you, how your savings perform or the risk you run when you start investing. Do you pass the exam?

One thing is clearer: is it legal for a store to impose a minimum expense to pay by card? The answer does not leave room for doubt, but there are some extra factors to take into account. Pay close attention the next time you pass by a store.