Vietnam family inheritance clash over 400 million VND for grandchildren

Grandparents of two young girls plan to allocate 400 million VND (200 million each) from the sale of a 1.6 billion VND plot of farmland that originally belonged to the girls' late mother, Hoài. The land, originally granted to the family by the state, was sold by Hoài’s parents, and the proceeds are being earmarked as a future fund for the grandchildren.

The proposal is opposed by Hoài’s brother and sister, who argue that the money should be controlled by Hoài’s parents and her surviving siblings, not the girls’ step‑father, Long, who remarried after Hoài’s death. They express concern that Long may not safeguard the funds for the grandchildren.

Vietnamese inheritance law stipulates that, in the absence of a will, a deceased person’s asset share passes to first‑order heirs – parents, spouse and children. Hoài’s two daughters remain rightful heirs to her portion of the land’s value, and remarriage does not affect their inheritance rights. The grandparents’ voluntary gift is lawful, but the dispute highlights differing views on who may decide the disbursement of the proceeds.