NewsThe death of a family member can often create conflict. Farrell Fritz Trusts & Estates Partner Azi Baer was recently quoted on a challenging situation in the MarketWatch column, “The Moneyist.” The article, “My sister-in-law emptied my late mother-in-law’s home. How do we stop our family from pillaging her estate?” reviews a complicated family fact pattern and some thoughts on how to resolve the situation.
The executor has a lot of power in overseeing a person’s estate. “Assuming the house was owned in your mother-in-law’s individual name, the executor is the only one who has the legal authority to access the home and its contents,” said Azriel J. Baer, a trusts and estate attorney with Farrell Fritz. “If the house was owned jointly with rights of survivorship, the surviving joint tenant would have the right to the property.”
Read the full article here (subscription may be required): My sister-in-law emptied my late mother-in-law’s home. How do we stop our family from pillaging her estate?