Thanks so much. Dad is not wealthy and it's not money I'm concerned about.
I'm the only one in the family with real assets anyway.
As for Dad's house, it was free and clear until about 10 years ago when I told my folks about reverse mtgs and help them get one. Then I helped them refinance it for more money when the market spiked. Now the market has tanked and there's more owed on the house than it's worth. The lender can have it.
Dad has a free and clear 2004 Toyota Camry with 4,000 miles on it. Big deal unless you need a nice mint, garaged, rust free zone driver. I don't and it's not part of my childhood.
I'm concerned about things which represent my childhood memories which my sister will pilfer the moment Dad dies unless I have the authority to lock the house, "trespass" her, and set up a meeting with her so that we can divide up what's there. I'm 65, my sister is 68 and Dad is 94. Mom died at 92 last year and they were married 68 years.
There is a truckload of really nice things in that house which might not mean much to someone else, but they are part of my childhood.
Mom and Dad were "pickers" long before I ever heard the word, but they had good taste and didn't clutter. Some of the things are from my Mom's childhood in the Ozarks and are hand made and even tole painted etc. Some are much older than Mom was and were given to her by her grandparents.
There's a hand made butter churn to die for, and I actually used it regularly when I was in grade school because we traded neighbors for fresh whole milk. I want it.
When my sister came down last year for Mom's funeral, she took all of my Mom's jewelry including her wedding rings and some other memories, worth perhaps $5k. Her excuse was "Mom promised it to me" but that's not what the trust says. It says everything 50/50 and there are no exceptions. I never heard about Mom giving that jewelry.
Frankly, I'd like to be in a position to look my sister in the eye, tell her she already got $5k and now it's my turn.
Now, behind my back my sister has done this new trust which bumps me as 1st ST and added the clauses including the one which says if I challenge it I lose my inheritance.
I would love to know that the new trust is not funded with the household goods as the original is.
Yes my sister took Dad and this new trust to the bank and by what's said by others here, probably transferred the money into the new trust by presenting the new trust and putting Dad back onto the accounts with it. However, there's only maybe $100k there. Dad has lots of SS and military retirement now (got his Vets disability increased to $2,000 per month last year and with his SS, he can't spend all of his income.)