It is not uncommon for tension to exist between the children of a parent’s first marriage and the parent’s new spouse or partner. In fact, this is a classic scenario from which estate and trust litigation arises. The children are often concerned that the new spouse may inherit too much (or all) of their deceased parent’s hard-earned savings, while the parent typically chafes at any interference from their children. Naturally the new spouse resents the implication that he or she has any designs on their spouse’s money.
The New York Times recently ran an in depth piece analyzing the various sides of one such dispute involving a former Oscar-winning actress – Love and Inheritance: Anatomy of a Family Feud. Although the amount of money at stake in this story is much higher than the usual dispute, the actions and emotions of the various family members are quite common.
