Reply #53: Well, this "evil" stepmother hopes to avoid the scenario listed above.

[Radio_Lady]

My husband and I wrote wills in Boston, MA, and revised them twice since we have moved to Portland, Oregon.

Two of his daughters, now in their 40s, are not in the wills. This is his decision. They haven't been in touch with us in years. Their mother died when they were young, and goodness knows, we tried everything to apologize for whatever kind of a difficult childhood they believe they had. Counselors told us to work with the oldest daughter until she was "comfortable" with us after a very stormy adolescence. Net result: She is still not comfortable, and we have had limited access to her children, my husband's natural grandchildren, since they were babies.

What we have will be split 50-50 between his family and mine (we married in 1973 with five children from previous marriages). His son and grandson are still in touch and will receive a part of the estate; his younger sister is also remembered.

The rest will go to my children and grandchildren, who love their stepfather and keep in touch with him.

Hope it all works out, but I'm not worrying about it any more...