Q: my mother died without a will; i have house questions
my mother died exactly one year ago; she and her boyfriend owned a house together and are both on the deed, and beyond that, lived well below the poverty line. i have spent the last year trying to figure out who the house belongs to (i.e. do i inherit her "half" of the house or does the other owner become sole owner) and how can i opt out of inheritance if necessary. there is no estate worth anything and all i want is a little peace to mourn. the boyfriend wants to sell the house (which i am fine with) but i don't know how the line of inheritance works and whether something legal is going to blow up in my face. i don't even know how to file my taxes for 2017 at this point due to this death. can anyone help me?
Edit: my mother was a resident of Tennessee but I live in Wisconsin. I tried to post this in the TN board and it got switched here.
A:
Without seeing the deed it is not possible to know what the status is or how you should proceed. You may own 1/2 the property, after your mom's estate is probated, or you may not! You should consult with a local TN real estate / probate lawyer to review the deed, and provide you some real advice. Make sure that attorney actually sees the deed and any other relevant documents. The documents matter!
If your mom lived in TN that is the place to look for advice. Use the 'find a lawyer' tab and seek someone near where your mom's property was located.
-- This answer is offered for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney/client relationship.
I am licensed to practice in Michigan only. Please seek competent local legal help if you feel you need legal advice
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
