Dear Abby: Caregiver should get grandpa’s wishes in writing to avoid legal trouble with angry sister

Greetings, Abby My grandfather has told me that he wants me to receive everything he has invested in, including his personal accounts and 401(k). The only family member caring for him is me. He lost his wife two months ago.

He has verbally communicated his desires to me. (I have a video of him saying this.) My sister and his other relatives are not to inherit anything, according to him.

Should I comply with his wishes and take everything? When he dies, my sister, who occasionally calls him, believes she should receive half of his estate. (It might be in five or ten years.) To keep the peace, should I respect his desires or divide it equally? — A GLANCE AT TEXAS’S FUTURE

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Abigail Van Buren

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Greetings, eye: I’m very happy you wrote. Even though you have your grandfather’s desires regarding the division of his estate on tape, it is imperative that you speak with an estate planning lawyer about them!

To ensure that there is no misunderstanding regarding his intentions or the rationale for his estate distribution, those preferences must to be documented in writing and notarized.

When your sister hears the news, she will be incensed, and you could need legal protection, so be ready.

Abigail Van Buren, better known as Jeanne Phillips, is the author of Dear Abby. Her mother, Pauline Phillips, began the company. For more information, visit www.DearAbby.com or send an email to P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

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