Guy I know is getting completely fucked - death/will related

[legendboy]

So I don't know the whole story but here is what I know

I worked with this guy Rob for 10 years. He has been living with an older woman for the last 17 years. She doesn't work and he has been paying all the bills including the mortgage.

A few years ago her sister died and they took on her Callaway Corvette payments (20k) he has been paying the last of the payments for the last few years.

They dealt with the death of her dad, have been charged with moving and organising buildings of antiques, belongings and shop equipment. This has taken several years.

Rob never had a good relationship with his common law wife. In fact they have not slept together for the last 7 years. Despite that fact he has stuck with her and helped her live and deal with all these things.

She died of cancer 2 days ago. In her last few days she did a simple will signing everything over to her 70yr old mother. Her mom has already moved into their house to claim everything of value. First was the Vette.

Does rob have anything worth fighting for at this point?
I feel really bad for him. He is not all that bright and is easily manipulated but is a good guy.

I recommended he talk to my cousin who is a lawyer or my book keeper who also deals with estate planning but he declined.

Any advice I will pass on to him

[ryanallan]

No idea, but I'm picturing this like a divorce, they would each be entitled to 50%. So if they both owned the vett when she died, it would be 50% his. The best the mother could do would be to ask him to pay her out 50% in which case he might end up needing to sell the vett and house.

[legendboy]

House has also been signed over to the mother

[theken]

wow. I have no input that could possibly help, but what a fucking cunt, and i am glad she is dead, and i am glad the mother is going to die soon

[legendboy]

Ya he has similar feelings split with sadness and loss.

I have no idea what advice to give him.
He has been bitching about this woman since the day I met him.
I think it was more of a sick mother son relationship or some sort of codependent relationship.
They both have (had) major emotional issues.

[Mario38]

Get a lawyer.

The house is a matrimonial house. He owns half. I am not even sure the other half can be willed away since they did not go through a divorce.

Forget everything else. Get half the house. It is probably worth more than everything else added up.

What a crummy situation.

[codetrap]

.

[Star1995]

Google Adult Interdependent Relationships. Is the house in his name, both names or hers? The dead beat wife can sign over her part of the house but not his. A lawyer will help.

[mobius]

1. Show the mother a good time.
2. Marry the mother.
3. Wait for her to die.
4. Profit.

[rage2]

That sucks. I'm guessing that everything was under her name. I know how this plays out in separation, but no clue how it works in death/estate.

Definitely find a lawyer ASAP before the assets move any further (ie her mom sells the place/car). In cases of separation, you can fight for your share based on contributions, and court can make sure stuff doesn't get sold off.

[ExtraSlow]

I would say for sure, this is a lawyer situation. Sucks to hear of an apparently "stand-up" guy getting shafted.

Somewhat unrelated, but how often do inheritances NOT cause some bitter feelings? I don't hear of too many simple estate distributions. Reminds me, I need to talk to some of my family about dying broke.

[CLiVE]

Had a similar situation in my family. Get a lawyer - won't be cheap, and will take time. In our case ~6 years....

[Sugarphreak]

...

[J.M.]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
That sucks to hear

Mother sounds like a cunt, you'd think by 70 you would chill out a bit in life

Once a cunt, always a cunt.

[Tezzating]

Originally posted by legendboy
Any advice I will pass on to him

He should talk to your cousin who is a lawyer and your book keeper who also deals with estate planning.. not engaging professionals for advice and assistance is a sure fire way to lose everything

[beyond_ban]

Originally posted by J.M.


"Once a cunt, always a cunt."

-Martin Luther King Jr

FTFY

[D. Dub]

Not just a lawyer. A good lawyer. Your friend likely has HUGE rights to community property from the CL marriage.

[Clever]

It's only matrimonial property if they were married, because they are common law he does not have dower rights which would've given him ownership to the property.If everything is under her name then his only recourse is to get a lawyer if he wants any claim on the property or the vehicle.

[rage2]

Originally posted by Clever
It's only matrimonial property if they were married, because they are common law he does not have dower rights which would've given him ownership to the property.If everything is under her name then his only recourse is to get a lawyer if he wants any claim on the property or the vehicle.

This. It's not an easy process either but he needs to get started right away on it.

[revelations]

Originally posted by legendboy
I recommended he talk to my cousin who is a lawyer or my book keeper who also deals with estate planning but he declined.

If he wont take advise, there is nothing you can do for him. He is paving his own way to owning zero and might as well walk away from everything.