---
title: What does Disinheritance mean?
description: What is disinheritance. what does it mean to disinherit someone
---

[Skip to content](https://help.covet.life/covet-knowledge/what-does-disinheritance-mean#main-content)

English - United States

Show submenu for translations

![Covet teal horizontal Transparent BG-1](https://help.covet.life/hs-fs/hubfs/Covet%20teal%20horizontal%20Transparent%20BG-1.png?width=244&height=65&name=Covet%20teal%20horizontal%20Transparent%20BG-1.png)

Open main navigation

Close main navigation

- English - United States
  
  Show submenu for translations
- Contact us

 Contact us

 How can we help you?

- There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

1. [Covet Knowledge Base](https://help.covet.life/covet-knowledge?hsLang=en-us)
2. [FAQs](https://help.covet.life/covet-knowledge/faqs?hsLang=en-us)
3. [Your Documents](https://help.covet.life/covet-knowledge/faqs?hsLang=en-us#your-documents)

January 13, 2025

# What does Disinheritance mean?

## There are certain situations that can occur in life that might make one consider "disinheriting" someone from their estate plans. In those cases, it is relatively simple to make it clear that you wish to disinherit a particular person from your estate.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Disinheritance as:

"To prevent deliberately from inheriting something." ¹

When you disinherit someone, you are saying that you do not wish this person to receive anything from your estate after you're gone.

It is not possible in any state to disinherit one's spouse if you were married at the time time of your death. There are some situations where one can disinherit an ex-spouse. Contact a qualified legal expert from information in this particular situation. 

All states except Louisiana allow the disinheritance of children.  

Some instances where this may be useful include (but are not limited to):

- Estrangement from the family
- Lack of a relationship
- Significant prior gifts
- Concerns about an heir's financial responsibility
- History of substance abuse
- Neglecting a testator's needs
- Divorce
- Desire to protect assets from heir's creditors

This list is not exhaustive. If you have a particular situation in which you are considering disinheriting someone, contact a qualified legal expert for more information.

Source:

¹ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disinherit

-End of Article-

 

 

 

 

Covet does not provide any legal, investment, accounting, financial, and/or tax advice. The Covet site includes access to software and self-help materials, which are not substitutes for the advice of an attorney, financial advisor and/or accountant. 

- [Getting started](https://help.covet.life/covet-knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en-us)
- [FAQs](https://help.covet.life/covet-knowledge/faqs?hsLang=en-us#main-content)

    - [Beneficiaries](https://help.covet.life/covet-knowledge/faqs?hsLang=en-us#beneficiaries)
    - [Your Documents](https://help.covet.life/covet-knowledge/faqs?hsLang=en-us#your-documents)
    - [Settings](https://help.covet.life/covet-knowledge/faqs?hsLang=en-us#settings)
    - [Assets](https://help.covet.life/covet-knowledge/faqs?hsLang=en-us#assets)

[![Covet teal horizontal Transparent BG](https://help.covet.life/hs-fs/hubfs/Covet%20teal%20horizontal%20Transparent%20BG.png?width=188&height=50&name=Covet%20teal%20horizontal%20Transparent%20BG.png "Covet teal horizontal Transparent BG")](https://covet.life)

Irvine, California

[mailto:support@covet.life](mailto:support@covet.life)

Copyright © 2024, Covet