Christine Parker, a certified financial planner, helps clients tackle complex questions about passing on wealth. Yet one of her first questions when people tell her they inherited real estate is deceptively simple: “What does the deed say?”
Many people think of their real estate in terms of “leaving it to the kids.” The reality isn’t so straightforward, said Ms. Parker, the founder of Parker Financial in La Plata, Md. “Dividing assets can sometimes be complicated, especially when it’s real estate,” she said.
Ms. Parker has firsthand experience of how easily inherited property — and the wealth it holds — can be lost.
