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The Global Insight

What to do if your brother has inherited property?

Author

Mia Phillips

Updated on March 14, 2026

Partition Lawsuits Will End All Disputes Over Inherited Real Estate. The answer to a sibling conflict over inherited property is to file a partition action. A partition action is a formal adversarial lawsuit filed in the probate court where their parent’s Last Will and Testament has been administrated.

What happens when a sibling inherits real estate?

Legally speaking, the siblings inherit the property as “tenants-in-common,” meaning, each has equal rights to the property (including its profits) but there’s no line or boundary that physically separates who owns what portion of the property. Brothers and Sisters Inheriting Florida Real Estate: Co-Ownership.

What happens when a brother and sister own a building?

Thus, if a brother and a sister own a building and land bequeathed to them as joint tenants or tenants in common, they both have the right to fully use and occupy every part of the building and the land and to do with it as they please.

When to partition inherited property between two siblings?

When there is a request to partition the inherited property between two siblings, the brother or sister who paid mortgage payments, taxes, and insurance as well as any other money spent on upkeep and repair of the home, would get credit for one-half the amount of payments they made that are ruled to be “reasonable” by the court.

Can a brother force me to sell property we jointly own?

The following are Oklahoma statutes: § 12-1501.1. Petition for Partition — Contents — Proof Required. A. When the object of the action is to effect a partition of real interests of the owners thereof, if known. B. 1. Except as provided for in this subsection, in any action of the development objective.

Why are there so many brother and sister real estate disputes?

Usually, the conflict arises over one or more siblings who want to sell the real estate and another who either does not want to sell it, or does not agree on the terms of the sale. Based on years of experience, here are a few of the common questions that arise in these brother-sister disputes:

How are siblings divided when selling a property?

The difference between that value and the amount you realize from the sale is the gain on which you owe taxes. When several siblings inherit equal shares in a property, they divide the gain equally, and each claim that share on their taxes.