Inheritence

I was born in the United States from parents of the Dominican Republic. I been living for 17yrs with my Common Law Husband and have 3 children with him ages 11, 6, and 2. He has a property in the Dominican Republic that was purchased while living with me and I have invested in the property. When we travel on vacation to the Dominican Republic we stay in the property.

Four years ago my spouse had an affair with a woman in the Dominican Republic and they had a child together. The affair continued throughout the four years every time he traveled alone and the child will be 3yrs. The other woman never stepped foot in the property and hasn't invested a dime they always stayed at his mothers house when he was with her. I forgiven the affair and we are working on our relationship.

My question is the following: I was informed if my husband were to die before me that because I am not legally married to him, the property is only in his name and I am from another country that this other woman would be able to claim the property with her son and I wouldn't be considered his wife even though I was clearly with him longer than she was.

I do not mind her son receiving his share I understand that because he is his son he is able to claim his inheritance but being that I have invested in the property and the relationship I do not think its correct that she may be able to keep a property that was never hers just because she born there and I wasnt.

Please let me know if we should be doing anything to avoid something like this.

I do not really know how much the property is worth since Dominican value is different the US but I would consider it should be worth a good amount. He purchased the solar about 14 or 15yrs ago for $10,000 US dollars and started construction on the property soon after. He build it strong enough to hold five floors if in case he wanted to continue construction. On the first floor he has two stores currently rented and a garage for his car. On the 2nd floor their are two (2 bedroom) apartments one is rented and the other is ours for us to stay when we travel. Right now he receives about $25,000 Dominican currency of rent which his lawyer claims $1,500 for collecting and depositing the rent for him. That's all I know about the property.

william webster said:

If you can be reasonable and talk it through

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Reasonable and talk it through with who? My husband or the Other Woman?

Unless someone wants WWIII to start against me and the Other woman their is no talking with her.

My husband always thought that since we lived together the property would go directly to me and my children. Its only now that we are learning that she may stay with the property just because they had a relationship and she lives out there. He would rather sell the property then have her get a hold of the property for herself.

Should I suggest to him that he just write a living will saying that the property should be equally divided to his children. I was never interested in the property and he knows that it was meant to be left to the children but I wont allow a woman who was just a fling stay with that property. Once again I clarify I understand the son she has with my husband has his rights my issue is her. How can she have more rights when she was only with him 4yrs than me who been with him 19yrs and living 17yrs?

Thank you all for the advice.

I will speak to my husband to have his lawyer write and legalize a document stating that the property be divided amongst his kids. Our three Children and their son.

Like I said from the beginning I didn't have an issue with his son claiming anything if it came down to it my concern was that she tried to claim it as his wife when neither of us were legally married to him and I have more yrs with him.