Master of Spark
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? I'm in WA but the estate is in CO
My father died in 1993 leaving me about $130,000. We hadn't been on speaking terms for years. Ours was a textbook case of dysfunctional family. He left my sister and a family friend in charge of the estate. The family friend bowed out years ago leaving my sister essentially as sole trustee. I think she still needs his signature to write checks but that's the extent of his involvement. He apparently signs a bunch of blank checks at once and she takes it from there. I don't get the money till age 55 which is about 5 more years.
For years now she has been telling me that I have no say in the situation. She's got some high falutin' investment adviser so she refuses to listen to my recommendations which have been spot on. I've been begging her for 2 years to put the money in gold and foreign currencies and she's got it mostly in corporate bonds. When I even try to talk to her about it she gets completely hysterical. She's always been like that so its nothing new. She hasn't worked for years because she's emotionally unstable. I don't know what she's been living on. She's not supposed to get her inheritance for a few years either. She may have insurance money from a husband who killed himself after being married to her for 6 months. That's not a joke.
With the recent shake up in the stock market and her continued refusal to respect my suggestions I finally forced myself to look at the will. I can read past the legalese but I can't choke down the emotions enough to read it. I'm on Social Security disability (ADHD/PTSD about $950 a month) so I can't afford to hire a lawyer at $250 an hour. But with my girl friend's help I was able to find the section that requires annual reports to the beneficiary. I have received NOTHING from her in the last 13 years except a copy of the will. Not so much as a single receipt. I figured the court had oversight. She's been sending me $100 a month (which I haven't been reporting to SS) which she's been acting like its a big favor. A few months ago she said my share of the estate is worth about $250K.
Also there's a clause in the will to the effect that if the inheritance results in my not getting government money (Social Security) then I don't get my inheritance. Is this even legal? Will this prevent me from getting the money?
I desperately need help with this but again on an income of $950 a month I can't afford to get a lawyer. And just to complicate the matter further the estate is based in Denver and I live in Portland.
I sent her a letter yesterday nicely asking that she send me the documents I was supposed to receive all along. How long should I give her to comply and what should my next step be?
I'm thinking that I want to be put on as co-trustee or maybe have her removed. I can't deal with her and now I'm thinking I can't trust her either. Up till now I'd had a lot of faith in her. Would 13 years of failure to provide annual reports be reason enough to have her removed as trustee? Should I have this investigated by the court? Could the court assign a protector? Could I be put on as co-trustee? I'm not sure I even want to deal with her but I want some control over what is supposed to be my money.
How should I proceed? Thanks!
My father died in 1993 leaving me about $130,000. We hadn't been on speaking terms for years. Ours was a textbook case of dysfunctional family. He left my sister and a family friend in charge of the estate. The family friend bowed out years ago leaving my sister essentially as sole trustee. I think she still needs his signature to write checks but that's the extent of his involvement. He apparently signs a bunch of blank checks at once and she takes it from there. I don't get the money till age 55 which is about 5 more years.
For years now she has been telling me that I have no say in the situation. She's got some high falutin' investment adviser so she refuses to listen to my recommendations which have been spot on. I've been begging her for 2 years to put the money in gold and foreign currencies and she's got it mostly in corporate bonds. When I even try to talk to her about it she gets completely hysterical. She's always been like that so its nothing new. She hasn't worked for years because she's emotionally unstable. I don't know what she's been living on. She's not supposed to get her inheritance for a few years either. She may have insurance money from a husband who killed himself after being married to her for 6 months. That's not a joke.
With the recent shake up in the stock market and her continued refusal to respect my suggestions I finally forced myself to look at the will. I can read past the legalese but I can't choke down the emotions enough to read it. I'm on Social Security disability (ADHD/PTSD about $950 a month) so I can't afford to hire a lawyer at $250 an hour. But with my girl friend's help I was able to find the section that requires annual reports to the beneficiary. I have received NOTHING from her in the last 13 years except a copy of the will. Not so much as a single receipt. I figured the court had oversight. She's been sending me $100 a month (which I haven't been reporting to SS) which she's been acting like its a big favor. A few months ago she said my share of the estate is worth about $250K.
Also there's a clause in the will to the effect that if the inheritance results in my not getting government money (Social Security) then I don't get my inheritance. Is this even legal? Will this prevent me from getting the money?
I desperately need help with this but again on an income of $950 a month I can't afford to get a lawyer. And just to complicate the matter further the estate is based in Denver and I live in Portland.
I sent her a letter yesterday nicely asking that she send me the documents I was supposed to receive all along. How long should I give her to comply and what should my next step be?
I'm thinking that I want to be put on as co-trustee or maybe have her removed. I can't deal with her and now I'm thinking I can't trust her either. Up till now I'd had a lot of faith in her. Would 13 years of failure to provide annual reports be reason enough to have her removed as trustee? Should I have this investigated by the court? Could the court assign a protector? Could I be put on as co-trustee? I'm not sure I even want to deal with her but I want some control over what is supposed to be my money.
How should I proceed? Thanks!