I thought my parents hired an Attorney to represent, ME; turns out, he did not.

[OpheliaRising]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Connecticut & Vermont

Hello, I thought my Parents hired an Attorney to represent ME and My best interests. My Older brother had changed my mother's will without my knowledge. He would not release an inheritance. My Father and Step mother hired an attorney, I was told that that was FOR ME. I honestly thought he was representing MY best interests. I signed documents thinking that I was being represented. Now, My Step mother has control of my inheritance in a trust. I am an Adult, there's no reason for this. I don't trust her to hold or invest my money. When i complained to my attorney, he said I'd agreed to it, And that i could not even have privilege when speaking to him about my parents! HELP. I am an adult, I would like to be independent. I do not make 7 figures, I live a simple life. I volunteer,I help people. I live ethically. They are all 'money' people. I'm very smart, but not savvy. Please, I can't afford to hire an attorney, can I do it with the inheritance my step mother is controlling? This was my MOTHER's gift to me. We were VERY close. In what crazy world does a stepmother control her rival's fortune for a child she has arguably never even loved, and in whom she has a negative opinion? Can I file a grievance? Thank you...

 

[Ohiogal]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Connecticut & Vermont

Hello, I thought my Parents hired an Attorney to represent ME and My best interests. My Older brother had changed my mother's will without my knowledge. He would not release an inheritance. My Father and Step mother hired an attorney, I was told that that was FOR ME. I honestly thought he was representing MY best interests. I signed documents thinking that I was being represented. Now, My Step mother has control of my inheritance in a trust. I am an Adult, there's no reason for this. I don't trust her to hold or invest my money. When i complained to my attorney, he said I'd agreed to it, And that i could not even have privilege when speaking to him about my parents! HELP. I am an adult, I would like to be independent. I do not make 7 figures, I live a simple life. I volunteer,I help people. I live ethically. They are all 'money' people. I'm very smart, but not savvy. Please, I can't afford to hire an attorney, can I do it with the inheritance my step mother is controlling? This was my MOTHER's gift to me. We were VERY close. In what crazy world does a stepmother control her rival's fortune for a child she has arguably never even loved, and in whom she has a negative opinion? Can I file a grievance? Thank you...

So you thought your stepmother, a woman who has never loved you and has a negative opinion of you, hired an attorney for you with her money? Really? Did you read what you signed? What exactly did you sign?

 

[OpheliaRising]

Indeed I DID think, since she is married to my father, that they hired an attorney FOR ME, because I couldn't Afford It. I live my life in a way that's VERY different from how I grew up. I trust people, I never know if someone is lying. Yes, I've been taken Advantage of. I help people, allow people who are having trouble live with me (recently, a friend was having seizures. He wasn't allowed to drive, and did not speak "doctorspeak", Could not fill out many forms due to a learning disability. I saw that he needed help, I couldn't turn my back. I stepped up. That's what I do. I thought they were being Sweet, like that...so I took him in and now he's OK). It never occurs to me that people are selfish or lying. I'm not savvy, I'm naive. But I'm a good person. Want to talk Quantum Physics or literature or philosophy or Medicine? I'm your gal. But I'm so naive in the ways of the world, It's not even Funny.

I Signed Documents that weren't specific as to what was to be done with the money after it was released. I certainly had no reason to believe that I wouldn't have control over it. I thought the first step was wrestling the monies away from my Evil Brother. I thought the Attorney had been hired for me, and would not steer me wrong. I put my faith in him. When he said sign, I signed. That's how I was raised, you do as your told by your parents and lawyers. I still can't believe a man would have participated in this debacle, knowing that nobody was representing my best interests. That's just wrong, and I would think a lawyer would know that~ that a learned man would act ethically, morally. I was told, point blank, " we hired an attorney FOR YOU". They paid my Dentist, too, but he certainly never worked on THEIR teeth... I thought they were paying because I couldn't afford legal fees UNTIL I had the money...

 

[I'mTheFather]

Perhaps you should continue to live your life as you have, trusting people. Trust that your stepmother is doing this for your benefit.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Then your problem is not legal it is emotional.

 

[OpheliaRising]

Believe me, my stepmother has no intention of helping me. They would have me put my dog to sleep instead of paying for surgery. I Don't trust her. I don't want my money invested in stocks that I disapprove of. My whole life, I've been 'Sheltered'. The only way for me to be independent is to get them out of the business of thinking that they're better than me. They're Morally corrupt. This was supposed to be my inheritance, he was supposed to be MY lawyer. I think he misrepresented himself until after the deed was done. I NEVER would have signed documents if I thought someone wasn't representing my best interests, me; cared about my side of the story... Can I file a grievance? How can I have any say in how this money is or isn't Invested? Certainly, this is a time for me to learn, not to capitulate...

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

The time to argue this, was during the case. You cannot un-sign documents. It will be hard to argue the lawyer violated his duty, when you don't appear to clearly have established what that duty was. I sympathize. I just assisted someone in a similar situation. They permitted the games to go on and chose not to listen to me until they felt they were backed into a corner. When they finally gave an ultimatum the "issues" went away. You appear to have agreed to the "issues".

 

[Eekamouse]

If you're that sheltered, what makes you think you'll do a better job than your father and step-mother at managing your money? And why is your brother so Evil?

 

[starting over]

Is it just your step-mother in control or is it her & your Dad? You keep talking about her, what's his position?

 

[ecmst12]

This sound like the plot of a bad movie to anyone else? Even the screen name is melodramatic.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

This sound like the plot of a bad movie to anyone else? Even the screen name is melodramatic.

Naw, That would be evil stepmother and wicked brother, not evil brother and wicked stepmother.

 

[justalayman]

so, have you even read the trust documents governing the trust which you are a beneficiary of?



and you don't make 7 figures. Over 99% of the population doesn't make 7 figures. Heck, about half of the people make around $50k annually. Somewhere around 80% or so don't make over $100k.

Stating you don't make 7 figures really doesn't do much to garner sympathy. People that make less than $100k will generally state they don't make 6 figures. That suggests you make somewhere north of $100k. That suggests you are in the top 20% or so income bracket. If you don't have a couple bucks to hire a lawyer, you should start practicing a bit of self restraint and reduce your spending.

 

[globalgiant]

I still can't believe a man would have participated in this debacle, knowing that nobody was representing my best interests. That's just wrong, and I would think a lawyer would know that~ that a learned man would act ethically, morally.

Sorry to hear about your situation. I am sure you know this now, but that attorney likely didn't give a **** about you. He was hired by your step mother to get control of your inheritance, and explaining to you exactly what you were signing would have been counter-productive to his goal. Don't ever expect an attorney to act morally or ethically, and unless YOU are the one paying them $300/hour...don't trust that they are doing ANYTHING for YOU.

I am not a lawyer, nor know much about the law, but I can't see any way how you are going to reverse what has been done without hiring your own attorney. You have been sucked into the trap.

How and why did your older brother change your mothers Will? Was this change legit? Perhaps this would be something to look into, and possibly a way to reverse what has been done?

Good luck.