Inheritance Heists Ch. 6: Undue Influence

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law.  I’m sharing passages from my new book Inheritance Heists – and I hope that they can help you avoid estate disaster.

Today I’m going to talk about a pivotal aspect of estate and trust litigation – undue influence.

The presumption of fraud or undue influence serves as a powerful tool for would-be heirs looking to challenge a questionable inheritance. Even with the presumption, proving undue influence can be challenging. Courts consider factors such as:

• The vulnerability of the victim due to illness, age, cognitive impairment, isolation, or dependency.
• The authority and opportunity the influencer had over the victim.
• The tactics used to influence the victim, like manipulation, coercion, or isolation.
• Whether the resulting estate plan seems inequitable or illogical.

If you suspect undue influence in an estate dispute and you need help, you can call us at Hackard Law: 916-313-3030.  We want to hear your story.