The rules of inheritance vary across the globe, between cultures and religions, and have been that way since the dawn of humanity. When it comes to planning an estate in the modern world, many clients will want to follow their traditional inheritance practices even if they conflict with current estate laws. In those cases, closely working with an expert in the laws of the religion or culture can assure that the client is well protected legally in a manner that conforms with their way of life. A good example of this can be found with Halachic, or traditional Jewish inheritance laws, which calls for a distribution of a persons wealth in a manner much in conflict with state intestacy laws which requires a carefully drafted will. Anyone that wants to follow both temporal and spiritual inheritance rules does not, in almost all cases, have to choose one or the other as long as good communication occurs between planner and client concerning the requirements of tradition.
See Isaac Yedid & Raymond Zeitoune, Halachic Estate Planning, Yeshiva World, July 17, 2015.
Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse for bringing this article to my attention.
