united-kingdom inheritance
UK inheritance: partner, sibling, child
<p>Let's start with person A.</p>

<p>Person A wants to write a will leaving "everything" to their partner, person B. They are not married, or in a legal partnership of any kind.</p>

<p>Person A would prefer that their only sibling inherit nothing. </p>

<p>And that a child born out of wedlock, but acknowledged on their birth certificate (foreign, but not UK) , living overseas, receives a share, despite the will, as a gesture, stating that person B inherit "everything".</p>

<p>Given the will, does person A's sibling have any claim? Their child?</p>

<p>The child <strong>C</strong> <em>cannot</em> receive anything as a "gesture despite the Will" if everything in the Will is left to <strong>B</strong>; unless <strong>B</strong> agrees to a Deed of Variation the Executor is legally bound to follow the instructions in the Will.</p>

<p><strong>C</strong> <em>may</em> have a claim if he is dependent on <strong>A</strong> at the time of <strong>A</strong>'s death and <strong>A</strong> has failed to make provision. It is possible that <strong>A</strong>'s sibling <strong>S</strong> might also have a claim if dependent. </p>

<p>Although you have tagged the question as United Kingdom, inheritance and intestacy law differs widely between England and Scotland. </p>

<p>Such a Will should be drafted by a specialist trust and executry planning solicitor to avoid the risk of contentious probate. </p>
