My brother and I lost our parents in 2019 months apart. My stepmother died, leaving his estate to our mother. My brother helped pay for my stepmother’s service, and it was paid back when my mother inherited our stepfather’s inheritance.
My brother renovated my parents’ home while our mother was still alive. My brother received several bonds from our mother for the provision of renewal and labor. He sold some of our stepfather’s belongings, he kept the money. Our mother said she was fine with that, so was I.
My mother’s illness got worse. I am single, so I moved out of my apartment to become our mother ‘s caretaker once her health deteriorated. My brother is married. He took care of our mother while I was at work during the day. I would take over for the rest of the evening.
Before our mother died, she filed a claim for home deed for me, and she also put me on all her bank accounts. My brother was there and said nothing. We took turns taking the doctor, and he didn’t mention sharing the home, or what would happen to him after your mother died.
The Cashier:My sister became the power of attorney of my late father, took out a mortgage back on his home, and put down his equity. What can I do?
I asked my brother several times if he wanted the house, and each time he said no. The home is free and clear, and there is no mortgage to pay. I had previously offered to rent, sell or rent the house to him, and my brother said that he did not have all those options. As soon as our mother died, I removed her name from the deed, and now the deed is in my name only.
Time has passed. I have settled into the home, and now my brother wants me to sell it, and give him half the value, or take out a loan for half the house, and give him or half of it. what my partner will give me room to rent. He said things are not fair. My brother said I don’t have bills or a mortgage, and he has to pay $ 2,000 a month at his house.
All the money left over from our mother’s estate was returned to the home, as well. I gave $ 10,000 to my brother. I also shared our mom’s life insurance with him, and gave some to his son. If he wanted the home, and the money he had through the whole process when our mother did the paperwork. I want to know if I have a legal obligation to sell the house left to me to satisfy my brother? Could he take me to court for half?
Signed,
Tired of being the only one who lives on moral values
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Tired of weariness,
You are 100% sure you are on the right side. Anything else that is against that sounds like a morally questionable stance. Your brother may have been going through a lot of emotions during that time your mother was sick and, for better or worse, you feel like a single-minded character. He might have thought, ‘Let her know if it means that to her. ‘Or,’ I can’t deal with this right now. ‘ Or, ‘It’s just another example of our mother showing favorable treatment.’ Or even, ‘How can I stand my sister? Once she wants something very little anyone can do about it. No one can find the way. ‘
You come from the position of knowing that it is A-OK that your sick and / or dying mother, who was responsible for her care, signed her portion of the home for you, and if your brother wanted to do something about it, well, he had the chance. Not everyone is as strong or going after what they want. Not everyone thinks clearly when mourning the death of one parent, and mourning the death of another parent. Are you legally responsible? He could challenge you in court, although there is no guarantee that he will succeed. Are you under a moral obligation? All things considered, I believe you should share half of your parents ’house.
The Cashier:My wife and I have three children. I also have three children from a previous marriage. How should we divide our house among those six children?
I have a few questions for you. Why not share the house? Why do you deserve your mother ‘s home, and why do your brother not deserve his share of your family estate? Since you decided that your mother should stop giving her her allotment, and did he have a chance to agree to that or not? Having had the opportunity to say “yay or nay” and, lucky lucky buster, the time is over, and he sold some of your stepmother’s belongings, so if he can do that, the house can to have? One car or watch, or whatever it sells, doesn’t mean you can walk away with the lottery. That is a sharp practice. This is not a game show where “the winner gets all.”
This is a family home. It is time to consider sitting down with your brother, and a lawyer, and to consider your own moral stance on this issue as well.
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Quentin Fottrell is a MoneyWatch column writer at MarketWatch. You can email The Moneyist with any financial and ethical questions at [email protected]. By emailing your questions, you agree to them being published anonymously on MarketWatch.