What are my rights and responsibilities?
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What are my rights and responsibilities?
My grandmother died over 4 years ago. She had a Will stating that everything went to my mother and uncle. On 8-8-19 my mother passed as well having no Will. Unknown to me, the estate of my grandmother for some reason is still in probate. There are 2 claims against it totaling around $15,000. As far as I could tell by state law her part would now go to me. My uncle said the current probate lawyer told him the same. My issue is that my uncle being personal representative, I am not getting the information I believe that I should be. When my mom died before my uncle found out it was not all his, he wanted to keep the house. There is a lot of work to do before it would sell. Now he wants to move out of state and has told me that I have to pay for the taxes, insurance, etc.
Asked on October 15, 2019 under Estate Planning, Indiana
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
Until and unless you inherit the house (that is, it becomes yours, in whole or in part and you are on the title) you have no legal or financial obligations to it. You don't have to pay for it if you don't want to. Yes, if you want to inherit your mother's share or interest in it (her children will inherit from her, if she was not married when she passed and there was no will), you might voluntarily want to contribute money so it is not foreclosed on, taken for unpaid taxes, not uninsured, etc. But it would be your choice to do so; while it is still part of her or your grandmother's estate, before it has come to you, you don't need to do or pay anything.
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