The best way to disinherit an heir or beneficiary is simply to note in your will that you are removing them from the estate plan and do not want them to receive anything. If you make this very clear, it lowers the odds of an estate dispute. It informs your estate executor and other beneficiaries that this is definitely what you intended.
But are there any alternatives to doing this? It may depend on why you want to disinherit the person in the first place. If the two of you simply no longer have a relationship, you may want nothing more than to remove them from the estate plan and move forward with your life. In this case, disinheriting them is the best option. However, there may be other options depending on your specific goals.
A beneficiary who struggles with addiction
For example, one problem that people sometimes face when drafting an estate plan is having a beneficiary who struggles with drug addiction. They may want to leave this person an inheritance, knowing it could be helpful, but they don’t want to simply fund the addiction and watch the beneficiary waste the entire inheritance.
In this scenario, the best option may be to put the money into a discretionary trust. Doing so means that the beneficiary cannot directly make withdrawals or decide how to use the money. The trustee takes over, authorizes certain purchases and administers the funds. This way, the inheritance can be used for things like housing costs, educational expenses, medical needs and more—without the risk of it being wasted or used to support an addiction.
This is just one example to highlight the benefits of a trust. If you’re drafting an estate plan, take the time to carefully consider all of your options.