I live in a house gifted by my parents, but an inheritance dispute is a constant fear as ownership has not been transferred to me.
I also received a plot of farmland from them to rent out. But since the legal processes have not been completed, I still cannot exercise full control over both properties.
Many people would think I am fortunate to have a home and land to rent out at 45, but living here without the ownership leaves me in a constant state of anxiety.
I can generate income from the properties, but if I want to sell them, use them as collateral or make changes to them, I have to seek the opinions of other parties with an interest in the properties. In other words, I do not have full authority to make decisions about the inheritance myself.
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Children might face uncertainty when property is verbally promised to them but not legally transferred. Illustration photo by Pexels |
This also raises a practical question about how many families divide assets among their children. Parents often think their land will eventually go to their children, and the children naturally regard it as their own property.
But being promised an asset and being allowed to use it are very different from having legal ownership.
I am even more worried because my mother is long gone while my father is nearly 80 yet has not made any formal decision regarding inheritance. If he were to suddenly pass away, disputes and disagreements over the house and farmland would be inevitable.
I have only one daughter while all of my siblings have sons, and they have always been reluctant to divide the inheritance equally with me.
It is very difficult to make long-term plans when I still do not know for certain how much of the inheritance I will receive or what rights I will have over it.
*This opinion was submitted by a reader and translated into English. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.