I am outside looking in
Here's the story.
My wife & I were married for over 51 years. Her mother is still alive (she's 99)… her Dad died young at 49 in 1976.
Her father had set up an irrevocable trust, with her mother as the primary beneficiary and the children as secondary beneficiaries.
My wife died, her CPA brother asked for a copy of my wife's death certificate. My wife is now out of the Trust as she is deceased & so am I as far as I know.
My wife & I were married in 1972.
I am assuming that despite being married for 51 years+.. & spending ALL of my retirement caring for my wife as she died of cancer, I'm out of the Trust. It still has several million dollars in it. There are 5 surviving children (secondary beneficiaries). I'm expecting that I have no standing or position in inheritance when my MIL dies. I am still close to her family. No malice here, just curiosity. Follow up based on comments. No, no children. I suspect that the secondary beneficiaries (children of the parents) would not argue about the estate. I'm not going to appeal to them. I know her Mom always worried about the "family money" ending up in the hands of non blood family. This is pretty much as anticipated. We had only been married for 4 years when her father died & the trust was enacted. I suspect that the trust was designed before we were married. My wife the oldest child & the first one married. I'm one if 5 children of a family physician. When my mother died, each of her children paid $650 for final expenses. Literally nothing left. My father was the son of a farmer and always told us that " doctor's live rich & due poor. Farmers live poor & die rich ". He was correct. I'm still working at 76 & make a good living. Leaving the equity in 2 houses+ life insurance to my Neice... A single Mom with 3 kids.