What happens to my youngest daughter’s share of my estate if I die before she’s 18?
Dear Harry, I’m a divorced single mother with three daughters. The older two are married and live separately from me. The youngest is under 18 and lives with both myself and her father (my ex-husband). I currently do not yet have a will. If I died, would any of my assets go to my ex-husband […]
‘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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
My mother’s will leaves everything to her 3 children. My brother died suddenly — and his wife says she will receive her late husband’s share
Dear Quentin, My father died in 2018 and everything passed to my mother per their wills that were made in 2015. My sister, brother and I were next to inherit what’s left, equally. No one’s spouse was mentioned in the will. My mother is still alive, but she is not in the best of health […]