When you create a will or an estate plan, you are making a clear statement about your legacy. You believe you are setting down a final, unchangeable set of instructions for who gets your property and how your affairs should be handled. Most people assume that their signed will is the final word. However, the legal system has a complex set of checks and balances designed to protect certain individuals, and these protections can sometimes directly conflict with the wishes you’ve written down. A number of family members have special legal standing that can allow them to challenge your will in court. In certain situations, they can successfully block your final wishes, even if your intentions were perfectly clear.
Here are six types of family members who may have the power to overturn your will.
