DUmmy BOSSHOG has a delicate problem. His father died and left the single-wide and all its contents, including the Elvis collection, to his stepmother:
BOSSHOG (1000+ posts) Mon Jan-04-10 01:37 PM
Original message
Is it appropriate to ask someone for a copy of their Will?
It is my stepmother who told me she put me in her will shortly after my Dad died 5 years ago. I barely know the woman since she was only married to my Dad for a little more then a year before he died. She got everything he owned. I am his only living blood heir. I don't need his estate but more importantly I don't want her to pass it on to God Knows who.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x9198090DUmmy BOSSHOG doesn't need his estate. Riiight. That single-wide was paid off, but he sure doesn't need it. Ditto the Elvis lamp. The death tax will probably take the Elvis lamp anyway.
MissMillie (1000+ posts) Mon Jan-04-10 01:47 PM
Response to Original message
2. Someone should know where to find a copy, or where to find the original
And yes, she can indeed pass her stuff on to anyone she wants to. And you have no legal right to know about any of it until she's gone (or unless she grants you power of attorney).
But you should either know where it it, or her lawyer should know where it it, and someone should know who her lawyer is.
Appropriate to ask for a copy... I'd say no.
The only lawyer a DUmmy family has is a defense lawyer. Estate law is rarely a concern.
WolverineDG (1000+ posts) Mon Jan-04-10 01:52 PM
Response to Original message
3. It's a good idea to ask where the original is & who the executor is
if she's in Louisiana, you really need to know this. Getting a copy would be nice, but that won't help you if she changes her will. Not sure how Louisiana handles lost wills either.
I say this because my uncle was from Louisiana & probating his estate took years. Might not take that long with your step-mom (my uncle left a sizeable chunk of change that went about 20 different directions), but still something that will need a lawyer to handle.
jobycom (1000+ posts) Mon Jan-04-10 02:31 PM
Response to Original message
6. Is this about ettiquete or legal rights?
If it's about ettiquette, and you don't really know her, you should ask her in some formal way, and not insult her by sounding casual about it. I don't mean you have to swoop on her with a legal representative or anything, just tell her you want to call on her to ask about your father's estate and her plans for it. Say it is just for sentimental reasons, or something, but don't sound disingenuous. During such a conversation the will will come up, and you can ask things like "Have you had it witnessed, is it filed?" Maybe you'll get an offer to see it, maybe you won't. If she tells you you are in it, and you ask her to see it to prove that, you are saying you don't trust her, and that's generally not appropriate, and could result in her cutting you out of it, if you offend her too badly. Also, you don't want to look like a vulture hanging around waiting for her to die.
If it is a case of your legal rights, you should call an attorney. There are all kinds of things to consider, like whether your father had a will, whether everything was left to her without strings, and stuff non-experts couldn't comprehend, probably.
Just my random, non-legally trained thoughts. Probably useless, but I like to write.
DUmmy jobycam is probably right, even though he can't spell "etiquette". DUmmy BOSSHOG is on the verge of seeing that single-wide slip through his fingers.
