Mum’s $20,000 inheritance gift to charity infuriates daughter: ‘It’s our family money’

Awomanhasdisputedwhethershecanclaimbacksomemoneyherlatemotherlefttocharity.·GettyWelcometoYahooFinance’slegalcolumnwherelawyersAlisonandJillianBarrettfromMauriceBlackburntackleproblemseverydayAussiesface—whetheritbeconsumer,property,moneymattersimpactingrelationshipsorwork.Thisweek,awomanisn’thappywithherinheritance. Question “Mymumdiedandleft$20,000tocharity.Igotthehouseandanother$50,000,butthat$20,000couldmakearealdifference.Shedidn’tleaveanythingtomychildren.CanItakelegalactiontogetthatmoney?It’sourfamilymoneyandIdon’tseewhyitshouldgotootherpeople.”Nerida,NSW. Answer Thedeathofafamilymemberisalwaysadifficulttimeanddisputesaboutthedistributionofassetscancomplicatethesituation. Thepurposeofyourmotherhavingawillwastoallowhertodecidehowshewantedtodistributeherassets. Inthiscase,itwasherwishtoleave$20,000tocharity,ratherthanyourselforanyoneelseiny