Q: My mother wants to leave her house to my wife and I. What is the best way to do this to ensure her wishes are honored?
She has asked us to move in with her to care for her until her death. We will be responsible for paying the bills, upkeep and repairs (which could be quite costly) on the house. I also have a full sibling (who has agreed to this arrangement) and 4 half-siblings who have no contact with my mother. What is the best course of action to ensure her wishes are honored and also to protect us since we will be spending a significant amount of money on the property? Should she add our names to the deed now? Would a will specificaly naming me as her son and leaving a token amount for the other sibling/half siblings be better? Should she create a trust? She doesn't know where to start this process and we don't know what to tell her.
A: I would suggest contacting an attorney who deals with estate planning and trusts. She will probably want to have both a trust and a new will.
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