Asking Eric: Conflicted over including nephew, who’s in a cult, in will
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Dear Eric: It’s time for me to update my will, and I’m struggling with the division of my assets. I have no children of my own, and my general plan is to leave some to charity and distribute the rest to my niece and two nephews. It’s a long story, but all three were raised by my brother and his wife in what I consider to be a cult. The niece and one of the nephews broke free as young adults and have succeeded in building productive lives. The other nephew is still an ardent adherent to the cult and has gifted much of his substantial wealth to it.
The thought of any of my assets ending up with that organization turns my stomach. Can I ethically and morally exclude him from my will? If so, do I need to explain it in advance, or let the chips fall where they may after I die? If I do need to explain it, should I be forthright about my reasoning or find some other explanation in an effort to minimize family tensions later? I would be grateful for any advice you can offer.
– Agonizing Aunt
Dear Aunt: The short answer is you can exclude him for any reason, including his membership in the cult. You’ll want to go over the specifics of your situation with an estate lawyer, of course. But your reasoning makes sense.
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