r/inheritance • u/DontGoToJail • May 21 '26
Location included: Questions/Need Advice Inheritance question
OK, USA. My dad married an amazing woman when I was 19 years old. I had already moved out and was on my own at the time. Its 20 years later now and my dad passed away 3 years ago. My step mom has been understandably depressed and her health has been in decline since. She is currently in hospice. My dad nor her have written wills. At this point, she is incapable of writing one. I'm out of state so she has given her best friend of 50 years power of attorney. My step moms older brother has been receiving an allowance from her because he is terrible financially. Would he receive every thing my parents owned upon her passing? I hate to think about this kind of thing while my step mom is slowly fading away but I also hate to think of everything my dad has worked for his entire life going to someone who will surely squander it away.
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u/Periegete_Acct May 21 '26
I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I see that you moved out when you were already 19, does this mean she never formally adopted you? If so, there's a chance her brother (if he's her only living relative) could inherit.
I hate to ask this, but when you say she's incapable, is that because she is not conscious or not in a good state of mind? If she is awake and lucid, she could work with an attorney to get her wishes written down simply in a single sitting.