Taiwan Court Rules Son's NT$3.7 Million Gift to Wife Invalid in Inheritance Dispute

A dispute over inheritance in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, has resulted in a court ruling against a younger son who attempted to hoard his parents' assets. The son, identified by the surname Lu, inherited valuable property in the Qianzhen District according to his parents' will. However, he refused to provide his three siblings with their legally entitled "special portion" (特留分) of the inheritance, which typically involves cash compensation.

Following the siblings' lawsuit in 2022, Lu swiftly sold the inherited property for NT$8.5 million. He then transferred NT$3.7 million of the proceeds to his wife, an action the court later deemed an intentional divestment of assets to evade his legal obligations. Lu argued that his siblings had already received substantial financial assistance from their parents years prior, which should be deducted from their inheritance claims. His wife claimed the money was temporarily lent to her by her husband for reconciliation purposes and later lent to a friend in need, denying any intent to hide assets.

However, the Kaohsiung Family Court found Lu's claims unsubstantiated, as he failed to provide evidence of the alleged past financial assistance to his siblings. The court concluded that Lu's transfer of a large sum to his wife, while aware of the ongoing lawsuit and his siblings' claims, was a malicious act designed to harm their creditor rights. Consequently, the court invalidated the NT$3.7 million gift to his wife and ordered Lu to pay each of his three siblings their respective inheritance shares, totaling over NT$2.32 million each.