<p>That is just awful that your sister would say she’d smash Moms china. It’s up to Mom where it goes. </p>
<p>^^^
I actually got a chuckle out of that threat. Proves that zoosermom is correct - the sister is a loon,</p>
<p>Here’s an evil thought… while sister is trying to go to brothers house to get at the china and other stuff, go over to sisters house and…</p>
<p>Another vote for having someone at the house with instructions on what to do during the funeral. I offered to do this for my neighbor whose daughter died in a car accident a couple of years ago – had only met the daughter once and didn’t know the neighbor very well, so thought it was something I could do to help rather than attending the funeral. They had not even thought of it, but were happy to take me up on the offer. No one showed up, of course.</p>
<p>Bumping this up because I happened to have to pull out my late dad’s final estate taxes from 2012 for something today. And saw how much $ I gave my $<em>(&()</em>^&#$) thankless brother that was legally mine in the 2 joint checking/savings accounts I had with my dad. It was a rather nice chunk of change. #<em>#%)</em>(^Q@ brother could have bought himself a nice car with the $ that I gave him because (a) I felt it was the right thing to do and (b) I wanted to have as little to do with him as possible and he may have tried to demand a forensic accounting or sue the estate and waste its money just to be vindictive. I am glad its over and done, but saddened at what a scum of the earth of a sibling I have. Any update on your BIL/SIL situation, mom2?</p>
<p>My lawyer had a clause one time if anyone sues and loses, they don’t get anything to prevent frivolous lawsuits. I am not sure if it’s still there.</p>
<p>It’s in my trust to. Kids need to behave or get nothing.</p>
<p>Wish my brother had put that in his will! If it could be upheld… not sure if it could, honestly.</p>
<p>My lawyer suggested it so it must be upheld. I didn’t think of that, my kids like each other.</p>
<p>zooser, does your mom leave something to your sister and far-away brother? I once got the advice here on cc that everyone who might cause trouble should be mentioned in the will so that they can’t claim they were forgotten and contest it. I like the idea of leaving some small amount of money to those people by name.</p>
<p>The trust has that very clause-- that if my )(%<em>$__&$^ brother contested anything that he’d get a dollar. Trust attorney referred to it as the “Sinatra clause” as ol’ blue eyes apparently had it in his trust documents…That did cause $^$</em>$)%&*) brother to back off a bit when he saw the trust document where it was clearly spelled out. That didn’t stop him from stirring up trouble and harassing the trust attorney.</p>
<p>^^YDS, that is the recommendation that my dad’s attorney gave to him. Was told it’s harder to wage a successful contesting of the will if each heir was actually given something from the estate. The “if you contest, you get nothing” concept is known as the “Sinatra clause” because he apparently had it in his will and had it upheld.
<a href=“Personal Finance Calculators -- Bankrate.com”>Bankrate: Guiding you through life's financial journey;
<a href=“http://www.ogradylaw.com/articles/discourage_an_inheritance_fight_with_a_no_contest_clause.html”>http://www.ogradylaw.com/articles/discourage_an_inheritance_fight_with_a_no_contest_clause.html</a></p>
<p>Dad finally talked to DH about estate issues this summer, so I am mercifully out of the loop. Have no idea what will happen, except that I expect one sister is going to get the house she lives in free and clear. My parents bought it in 2009, sister is paying them rent, though her rent-to-buy equity is nowhere near the actual value of the house or the amount of the outstanding loan my dad owes the bank. This means she would get the lion’s share of the estate. Not that I care about the $$ (we are in a better economic situation than all my other sibs and I have told Dad that there are a couple of sentimental things I’d like, and I would forfeit the rest of my share), but I do expect there will be many hurt feelings among the other sibs, for whom even a $5k distribution would be manna from heaven. I pray Dad named DH as executor instead of said sister. Things will go much better that way.</p>
<p>I will finally get my share of my inheritance when my sister sold the house she is living in. I will go to Las Vegas and bet on red for roulette. It’s a nice chunk but I still feel like doing that. Who knows I might get lucky.</p>