Readers with questions about heredity and isolation

Each week, experts answer readers’ questions about financial and legal issues. This week is about inheritance and rejection of subsidy on insulation.

Inheritance rejection

My daughter has lived in the United States for over twenty years. Her father died recently. He is married and has no choice. If his wife does not accept the inheritance, my daughter and her half-brother will inherit. He may have been in debt. What could she do better? Is it wise to reject inheritance for himself and his children?
RE, Amsterdam

I think your father was Dutch and lived in the Netherlands when he died. In that case, Dutch legal tradition applies.
Suppose the existence of the estate is negative and the wife actually rejects the inheritance. Then she is considered to have never been an heir. If your daughter (two-thirds) and her half-brother (one-third) do not reject the inheritance, only two are heirs.