This whole concept seems grossly unfair on its face. If I'm the one who signs a contract, I shouldn't be able to bind you to it when I die just because I put your name in my will. You shouldn't have to go out of your way to not be bound by a contract that you never signed.
orionblastar · 1d ago
My wife and I had a timeshare, and we could afford it until the maintenance fees were $5000 a year. They kept raising the maintenance fee we paid off the loan for the timeshare. My mother had a timeshare, and she died, and we didn't take it over; in fact, we had to drop our timeshare as part of a bankruptcy when my medical bills stacked up too much to pay.
codingdave · 1d ago
This is not a topic so complex to need investigative journalism. Just call an attorney and ask. They'll give you the same answer that is in the article, after KSL did exactly that: "Nobody is obligated to take any inheritance... We all have that right to refuse it.”
I mean sure, estates are a hassle. And it is a lousy reason to have to be dealing with attorneys and paperwork. But that doesn't make it a big mystery.
clipsy · 1d ago
I'm curious why you chose to leave out additional context that clarifies exactly why this is an issue:
> Still, walking away does take work. You must file a disclaimer of interest with the probate court saying you reject the timeshare. And you only have nine months after the death of your loved one to file it.
I doubt most people expect that they need to proactively reject something they might potentially inherit, and it's doubly alarming in that I've personally witnessed probate last longer than 9 months. As I read it, you could find out after the nine month period that you're "inheriting" a liability -- if you don't take issue with that I'd love to hear why.
codingdave · 1d ago
I didn't add more context because the answer is simple: "Ask an attorney."
Coming up with all the edge cases where things can go wrong is adding FUD to an already complex and difficult situation. Rather than focus on the FUD, I am focusing on the simple answer to a complex scenario: "Ask an attorney."
For the record, that does not mean I don't take issue with problems in our society. I do. But there are cross-cutting solutions to such problems, so that is where I choose to focus my energy.
I mean sure, estates are a hassle. And it is a lousy reason to have to be dealing with attorneys and paperwork. But that doesn't make it a big mystery.
> Still, walking away does take work. You must file a disclaimer of interest with the probate court saying you reject the timeshare. And you only have nine months after the death of your loved one to file it.
I doubt most people expect that they need to proactively reject something they might potentially inherit, and it's doubly alarming in that I've personally witnessed probate last longer than 9 months. As I read it, you could find out after the nine month period that you're "inheriting" a liability -- if you don't take issue with that I'd love to hear why.
Coming up with all the edge cases where things can go wrong is adding FUD to an already complex and difficult situation. Rather than focus on the FUD, I am focusing on the simple answer to a complex scenario: "Ask an attorney."
For the record, that does not mean I don't take issue with problems in our society. I do. But there are cross-cutting solutions to such problems, so that is where I choose to focus my energy.