‘He claims it’s his home’: My mother left her Florida house to all of her children. Our brother lives there — and has no plans to move. How do we get him out?
Dear Quentin, My mother passed away three years ago and left the house to my brother, my sister and me. What little was left in her bank account was distributed among the three of us. Our brother is still living in the family home. He pays the taxes, insurance and utilities to live there. The […]
Where is Monterey Park and what does the shooting mean to Asian-Americans?
The mass shooting in Monterey Park, Calif., stunned the Asian-American community. Not only because the shooting happened on Lunar New Year’s Eve, but also because it happened in Monterey Park, a predominantly Asian city that holds a special place in the Asian-American landscape. On Saturday night, a gunman opened fire at a party inside the… […]
My mother excluded me from her will — before she died, my sibling cashed out her annuity policy, on which I was a beneficiary. Should I sue my family?
Dear Quentin, My mother recently passed away and I was written out of the will, except for a small amount. She and I had several disagreements over the past two years. This change of will occurred 15 months prior to her death, with her executors present. The remainder of her estate is being divided between […]
Last year, one woman told MarketWatch she was on hold for 7 hours, but the IRS says customer service will improve this tax season. And now? A big test lies ahead.
Last year, tax preparer Kathy Brown called the Internal Revenue Service, and took her daughter to a gymnastics class while her husband stayed on hold, ready to patch in Brown once an employee picked up.Seven hours later, after sitting through the gymnastics class and returning home, the Warsaw, Ky.-based enrolled agent found her husband still […]
Households earning $100,000 or more are cutting spending more aggressively. What’s going on?
We want to hear from readers who have stories to share about the effects of increasing costs and a changing economy. If you’d like to share your experience, write to readerstories@marketwatch.com. Please include your name and the best way to reach you. A reporter may be in touch. Higher-earning households are feeling the inflationary pinch. Consumer […]
‘I am angry’: I’m an unmarried stay-at-home mother in a 20-year relationship, but my boyfriend won’t put my name on the deed of our house. Am I unreasonable?
I have been in my relationship for almost 20 years. For personal reasons, we are not married but we have a 10-year-old child. When our child was born, we decided that I would be a stay-at-home parent because my low-paying job didn’t cover the costs of child care, and at the time, we were stretched. […]
‘We’re headed for a family feud’: My father offered his 3 kids equal monetary gifts. My siblings took cash. I took stock. It’s soared in value — now they’re crying foul
Dear Quentin, Several years before my father’s death, he offered me and my two siblings each an early “cash gift” from his estate in the amount of whatever the maximum non-taxable amount was at the time. He was an active investor and offered the gift in the form of the stock instead of cash. My siblings […]
Opinion: Cognitive decline in a loved one: how to spot it, what to do
Both as a financial adviser and in my prior role as an attorney, I’ve seen families struggle with cognitive decline of an aging parent. Financial and estate planning can’t take away the heartache, but they can help families avoid some wrenching situations.In this article, I’ll share two scenarios drawn from real-life circumstances I’ve observed. One […]
Mortgage rates fall to lowest level since September 2022 and here’s how the Girl Scouts will keep women rolling in dough throughout their lives — beyond selling cookies
Hi, MarketWatchers. Don’t miss these top stories.Mortgage rates fall to lowest level since September 2022 — giving ‘much-needed boost’ to housing market The 30-year mortgage rate is averaging at 6.15%, Freddie Mac said in its latest weekly survey on Thursday. Read More ‘I have $30K in my savings account’: I’m 56, divorced, unemployed and mother […]
My stepbrother helped me get started in tech. I allowed him to live in my late’s father’s home. He told me, ‘Your dad wanted me to live here.’ What do I owe him?
My father dated someone when I was in early grade school, and mentored one of her sons, becoming the father figure he never had. For simplicity, I’ll refer to him as a stepbrother. I was about eight years younger, and my stepbrother helped me with some key decisions after I graduated. One key piece of […]