Avoid Inheritance Disputes as $84 Trillion Transfers Begin

Baby Boomers will transfer an estimated $84 trillion, risking major estate disputes. Read trust, inheritance and tax planning tips to protect family assets.

CHICAGO, Oct. 29, 2025 — The coming decade is shaping up to be the most contentious period in U.S. trust and estate history. Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation are set to transfer an estimated $84 trillion to younger generations, and without proactive estate planning that wealth shift could spur a wave of inheritance disputes and estate litigation.

Why are disputes likely to rise? People live longer, families are more blended, digital assets complicate records, and tax rules and charitable strategies keep changing. Combine these factors with outdated wills, unclear beneficiary designations and poorly communicated intentions, and estates become fertile ground for contested trust claims and probate battles.

Smart estate planning and clear communication are the best defenses. Update your will, review beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and insurance policies, and consider revocable or irrevocable trusts to specify distributions and limit probate exposure. Proper trust drafting also helps address tax planning, protect assets from creditors, and reduce the chance of successful challenges to a decedent’s intentions.

Fiduciary selection matters. Appoint trustees and executors who are organized, impartial and trusted by family members. Include successor fiduciaries and clear instructions to minimize ambiguity. For families with digital assets, maintain an inventory and designate access procedures to avoid disputes over online accounts, cryptocurrency, and intellectual property.

Communication reduces conflict. Sharing an estate plan with heirs—even high-level goals—can prevent surprises that often trigger litigation. Where relationships are strained, consider mediation or a letter of explanation from the testator to clarify reasons behind specific bequests.

Tax and charitable planning should not be overlooked. Work with financial advisors and estate attorneys to evaluate gift strategies, philanthropic options and potential tax implications. Proper planning can preserve more wealth for heirs while limiting triggers for disputes tied to perceived unfairness or unexpected tax burdens.

As $84 trillion transfers begin, now is the time to act. Update documents, consolidate records, name competent fiduciaries and talk to your family. Consult an experienced estate planning attorney and financial planner to tailor trusts, wills and tax strategies to your circumstances and help protect family harmony during a historic transfer of wealth.

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