My Deceased Mom Promised Me Her Farm – Is a Verbal Agreement Valid?

  • This topic has 7 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 2 weeks ago by brave_treadmill.
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  • #130417
    bruised_theater
    Participant

    I was a witness to a verbal agreement once between my friend and his grandmother. She said she’d leave him her antique car if he helped her with errands for a year. He did, and when she passed, her will didn’t mention the car. Because I was willing to testify that I heard her promise, and he had proof of running errands for 12 months, he was able to make a claim against the estate, although it took almost six months and cost him about $1,000 in court fees.

    #130418
    OmniscientDrilling
    Participant

    I used to rely on verbal agreements with my grandma about who would get certain family heirlooms. But after my mom had a tough time proving a verbal agreement about some furniture (she spent nearly $2,000 on legal advice and ultimately lost), I learned my lesson. Now, I make sure everything important is written down and witnessed, especially when it comes to estate matters. It’s just not worth the risk of relying on someone’s memory or good intentions after they’re gone.

    #130419
    juicy_computing
    Participant

    I’m actually in a similar situation with my living grandpa. He’s verbally promised me his tools since I’m the only one in the family who uses them. But after reading about how often verbal agreements with deceased people are hard to enforce, I’m planning to ask him to put it in writing, maybe as a codicil to his will. It just seems like the smartest way to avoid potential disputes with my cousins later on.

    #130420
    coordinatedquantity8
    Participant

    My great-aunt verbally agreed that her neighbor could have her cat when she passed. Her will didn’t mention it, but since all my aunt’s close relatives knew about the agreement and no one objected, the executor just made sure the neighbor got the cat. It wasn’t a huge asset like a farm, but sometimes if everyone agrees, verbal wishes can be honored even without legal force.

    #130421
    WorriedlyUnknown
    Participant

    My siblings and I are actually considering challenging a verbal agreement our dad supposedly made with his caregiver. The caregiver claims Dad promised her a significant amount of money. However, Dad’s written will divides everything equally between us. Since courts generally prefer written documents over verbal ones in estate planning, we’re consulting a lawyer to see what our options are.

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