Black families face challenges in preserving inherited property, new legislation proposed

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The conversations some Black families have regarding keeping up grandma’s house or keeping up the family property are real. Family members might only make visits during family reunions or specific holidays. However, when everyone travels home, the conversation surrounding the costs of keeping up the property still remains. During the 53rd Annual Legislative Conference at Congressional Black Caucus Weekend, U.S. Congresswoman Nikema Williams led a discussion focused on the challenges and solutions for inherited property, particularly among Black families. Williams (GA-05), highlighted that 70% of Black Americans lack wills, contributing to the $32 billion racial wealth gap. “And without wills and estate planning it is next to impossible to secure wealth from generation to generation,” explains Williams. “This continues to contribute to the racial wealth gap. Closing the racial wealth gap is one of my biggest priorities in Congress, because Atlanta, unfortunately, continues to have one of the widest racial wealth gaps in the country.”In response to those facts, Williams introduced the Heirs’ Estate Inheritance Resolution and Succession (HEIRS) Act. It aims to provide legal assistance and incentivize states to adopt the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act. The legislation is co-signed by the following Democrats, Congresswoman...