Warning Signs of Estate Conflict or Trust Conflict

Are there Strange Times affecting a loved one or dear friend or family member? Have you experienced:

• A family member “takes over” your loved one’s finances
• Someone tells you “they’re in charge of” your family member
• Someone makes it impossible to see your family member or dear friend as they have gotten older
• Your loved one’s telephone number gets disconnected
• This new person controls calls coming into your family member
• You never get the opportunity to speak with your parent alone without the interloper in the room
  • Or listening in on your calls
  • Or correcting your family member’s statements
  • Or telling them what to say to you
• You no longer can visit with your family member in the nursing home
• The deed to the house or land or building has been transferred
• Bank account statements are no longer coming to your family member or close friend
• Your family member should have sufficient assets to live comfortably but they’re kept in squalor
• You are told “I’ve taken them to an attorney and I’m in charge”

Or

• Your parent has died and this other person says:
  • “You can’t come in the house. You’re forbidden”
  • “I have it and I’m named the person in charge. I’ll tell you what you get when I decide to”

These are warning signs. The situation may be a family member or loved one or close friend that is be taken advantage of. Someone could be stealing assets from the elderly or weakened person. If they’re still alive, you have choices to make. File a guardianship/incompetency proceeding or challenge a Power of Attorney’s authority and handling of the person’s assets. If these people who have gained control are doing everything right, then upon request to provide accountings to persons with proper standing, they should willingly give full access to review. If they don’t, one must ask: What’s missing? What’s really going on? What are they hiding? Beware of lots of financial transactions and property transfers the last year or so of a feeble person’s life. They’re at their weakest. If the loved one has died, you need to explore whether a Will or Trust needs to be challenged in the court system. Or whether the fiduciary in charge is stealing or has stolen from the estate. Don’t wait until it’s too late. If you have a family member in this situation, or they’ve died and you’ve been cut out, CALL Kirk Sanders, fiduciary litigation attorney at 336-768-1515 Or email ksanders@wsncfamilylaw.com We take cases to court. We try cases before juries. [tags: NC Will Contest Attorney, MC Trust Attorney, NC POA Abuse Attorney] [categories: Estate Litigation NC, Trust Litigation Attorney NC]