I am afraid that something similar will happen to my grandfathers land. 105 acres, 5 kids of which one passed at an early age due to diabetes. One son, who thinks himself the sole heir to all. One daughter, married to a self righteous ass who thinks he is controller of all that was left by my grandfather to my grandmother when he passed. Portions of the land have already been split and designated to the kids, but not all. Something about so many parcels of land being split will cause more taxes paid or something, not sure about why it is, but my mother and her sisters small portions had to be merged together in my aunts name, who lives out of state with her family.

The small portion of the 105 acres is 4 acres. This is so they may settle on the land before it is willed out. This land is still in possession of my grandmother. Kind of like saying this land here is definitely yours, but the rest will be divided after i leave this world.

So recap, one son who thinks his shit don't stink. One daughter who married a man who is a controlling asshole. One daughter who died prematurely, who is survived by one son and an alcoholic husband. Two daughters who have land tied together because of tax reasons.

Now my grandfather farmed tobacco mostly. He had a lot of old school equipment. He hadn't moved into the new age. So you have antiques in all this equipment worth thousands. The one son, who has made many a questionable life choice, has resorted to scrapping metal to make ends meat. I must back up and inform you that he had a house built right next to the big pond my granddad had dug before he passed. In doing so, the land that the house sits was deeded to my uncle, the one son. So if he does not pay the mortgage, the land ends up in the banks hands. He scraps all the antique farm equipment for chump change. Just a little note, my father works in selling antiques and had ridden by my uncle as he was loading up scrap. Dad grabs about 5 items and gives him 20 bucks. My uncle would have made pennies otherwise. In this pile lay an old metal med kit. Bandages and all still in the plastic wrap. Dad sold it a day later for 75 bucks. This is just to show that my uncle is not a smart man. Hard working granted, but terrible with finances. His scrapping had gotten so bad that my grandmother and the self righteous uncle had put what little remained in a barn and locked it up. My grandmother stated that save for the land, my not so bright uncle has received his inheritance.

Now the self righteous uncle has positioned himself as savior to my grandmother, who now hangs on his every word on how to handle the land and antiques that are left. He really has helped save these things from my, not so bright uncle, so I will give him thanks for that. Although he has always been a controlling asshole. I believe he has ulterior motives to try and sway my grandmother into giving my aunt more and thus him more. He has moved to take everything from my aunt and her kids. Three cousins from my aunt none from the controlling asshole uncle. My true uncle died when we were really young. He left them a small amount of money each. 15,000 or so. Asshole uncle cons wife into conning kids for their inheritance. he got the 2 youngest kids inheritance by suspicious means.

Not too much to say about Aunt who passed early. Her son and I have become the closest of friends since early in life. He also deserves what is left to him for the rough life he has lead.

My mother isn't without her faults, but otherwise level headed about it all, as is my aunt who controls my mothers small portion of land. My Aunt and Mother who have linked land are the two most level headed people on the subject of land. They have been given some control over how it all gets dispersed after my grandmothers passing.

TL;DR My Grandfather passed away leaving everything to my grandmother, who, in turn, will divide what is left and pass it on to her 5 children. One son who would sell his soul for to make a dollar. One who married an asshole control freak, who would see that he got as much as there is to give. One daughter who passed early to leave it to her son, my cousin and friend since his birth. Two daughters, one that lives out of state but controls the others portion, of which both have level head and more control than the others over what is left behind. Though, I believe my grandmother to be a fair and giving woman, I believe there will be turmoil over the inheritance after her passing.