Inheritance lost when stepdad changed his will

Janice Chapple's mother Phyllis promised her that she would in time inherit all her worldly goods. Even when her mother died in 2012, leaving her estate to Janice's stepfather Vic, she was sure the family fortune would one day come to her.

Phyllis had drawn up a mirror will with Vic, and explained to Janice that whoever died first would leave their estate to the other. Then, when the surviving partner passed away, the couple's joint finances would go to Janice, an only child.

So when Vic died the following year, Janice, 74, was devastated to learn that he had left all of Phyllis's belongings – including her home – to his cleaner. Unbeknown to Janice, Vic had rewritten his will.

There is a growing number of families tangled in bitter disputes about inheritance. Experts say these are common among so-called 'blended' families, in which parents have divorced and remarried.

Wealth transfer becomes particularly complicated in these cases, and therefore open to dispute, both where wills have been rewritten – and where they have failed to be rewritten. Children can be cruelly disinherited and parents' wishes ignored after their death.

If you are only doing a mirror will and it gives everything to your partner with the understanding they will honour your wishes after you die, you are relying solely on trust. It is not binding.

That might seem fine in the moment. However, all too often after the first person passes away, their surviving partner can at a later stage decide they never really liked their stepchildren and changes the will to leave everything – or a larger share – to their own blood relatives.'

If you want your money or an asset to go to one person specifically, you should make sure you give it to them while you can, or put rigid plans in place.