Let's talk wills.

This stuff makes my head hurt so I'd just split it between my siblings and let them fight it out! Probably a nasty way, but true!

Of course, it's not my situation!

It would go to my siblings. Then when they die they can leave whatever's left to their own kids and grands.

If I were single and had money I would give to my favorites only. Why not? It's my money.

I would divide between my siblings and allow them to disseminate to their kids. I agree - this stuff tweaks my melon.

Assuming siblings are accounted for in whatever fashion you would like, and assuming the intent is to leave something to the nieces and nephews, I'd probably divide equally among them. Too complicated to include grands, and maybe grands, etc.

But there is no obligation to leave anything to them. You could put it in trust for your cats, or donate it all to a charity, or something else.

My aunt had her money split evenly between all nieces and nephews. It was a surprise for me and a very generous gift from her. Of course, id rather have my aunt here.

I think it really gets dicey when you start trying to forsee what may happen. There may be more grands, there may not be (and if there were sizable inheritances I can see why you'd maybe get caught up in overthinking it.) I always kind of thought most people would leave to one generation or the other and not including all generations because it does get odd there with some families complete others not.

My parents family is complete as far as kids, grandchildren. Only us kids are in the will. What we do anything is up to us. My parents each have a married with no children sibling. I believe one has said they're leaving it to nieces/nephews, my understand of that would be their siblings children - not the great nieces/nephews.

My mother had an Uncle who passed who was single. Will was written that each of his siblings got an equal share, several were gone prior to his death (there were like 8 siblings.) So the share intended for his sister, my mother's mother, was split equally among her children.

Cleanest way in my opinion to do it is to leave it to the siblings and if their families are complete then their children could be included also if someone wanted to make sure they got something.

Do whatever you wish-it's your money, and you have no children. Leave all of it to charity if that is what you wish. If you wish to leave it to your family, I'd make it really simple and divide it evenly amongst your 3 siblings. Forget how many nieces, nephews and grands. That makes it too complicated. Once the siblings have equally distributed money they can decide how to distribute amongst their own families.

Debbie in MD.

DH and I don't have children. Between us we have one niece and four nephews. Whatever is left after we die will be split four ways.

I would leave a specific amount of money to be divided equally between the grands without specifying the exact number or name of the grands and then I would specify that the remaining estate be divided equally between my living siblings.

and the moral of this story: Be nice to your rich aunt!

I have two similar situations.

My aunt was a unmarried woman with no kids. Decent estate plus this huge collection of mini bottles of alcohol that at one time was valued at $10,000+. Before, she had her will set up so that my Dad would be the executer and her estate was to be divided between him and her sister (my other aunt). It'd be up to him and her sister on if any of the nieces and nephew got any money. Aunt C now has 4 grand-nieces/nephews. She changed her will to reflect that 100% of her estate is to go to her new spouse now that she can finally marry her partner. She gave certain items to those of us who wanted certain items. My cousin wanted her liquor collection knowing how valuable it is. Aunt C told him to go pound sand. Now their relationship is strained. Mind you, she's only 65 and should easily live another 15 years. Her new wife is younger than her. I do believe Dad is still the executer of her estate though.

My sister, on the other hand, is single and no kids as well. She only has me and my boys. I don't think she has an actual will on file. I know she had listed my parents as benefactors of her life insurance with my boys being next in line if my parents pass before she does. I know when it comes time, it will be on me to take care of her estate and will likely give each boy a third of her estate.

I have another cousin who I believe may be gay but because of her church's stance on gays and gay marriage, she won't come out. She's faced with a larger family with 3 siblings and 8 nieces and nephews. One just got married and there's two others that are getting close to that age so she's going to have grand-nieces/nephews in the near future. At that point, I'd just either give each sibling a third and let them share with their kids or split the estate among the nieces and nephews only (I can see two of her siblings passing before her).

Very true and not all parents of special needs children are aware of this.  If parents want to leave their SN child money, a Special Needs Trust has to be set up.  Upon their deaths, the beneficiary will be the trust itself and not the child, and the trustee assigned by the parents will handle the extra financial needs of the SN child.  If the SN child is receiving SSI, Medicaid or vocational rehab or subsidized housing for the disabled, all of those will vanish if the SN child is given assets more than $2,000.