Ashlea Ebeling

When people find out that they're related to someone they didn't know they were related to, and then they find out there's a state involved, suddenly there are these inheritance claims.

So it can completely wreak havoc with family members who are trying to settle in a state of a loved one when a surprise heir shows up.

In some states, simply genetics can determine who could make a claim in the absence of a will or trust.

And that means basically someone could inherit from their biological father, even if he never knew of them.

There are other states, though, that work differently where there are factors such as if there was a relationship with a deceased.

The lawyers for the families who found out about the surprise heir, they were all saying, very adamant, don't do these DNA test kits.

But the basic advice is everyone needs a will or a trust.

And the language in those documents has to spell out whether biological children who aren't known to the family would inherit or not.

States are grappling with how to rewrite laws to address this issue.

Delaware just in August passed a law making clear that half siblings from donor sperm can't suddenly inherit.