"You are the Successor Executor listed on our Aunt's Will," he said gingerly. "It needs to be cleaned up, but she doesn't want to talk about it and I haven't had the energy to push it," he added even more gingerly."I've got it," I said reassuringly, having no idea was I was reassuring him of at that moment, but sure that I would do anything for my little brother, our Aunt's lawyer, who was losing his fight.
I guess my brother had confidence in me, far more confidence in me that I would have had if I had known then what I know now about Wills, Estates, Trusts, Income Tax, Estate Income Tax, and the Surrogate Court System!
For those who have not traveled this journey, it CAN be a crazy path that more accurately resembles Groundhog Day (the movie) than a linear route to a finish line! You need addresses, emails, birthdays, social security numbers, wedding dates and divorce dates. You will spend weekends searching the internet and cemeteries for dates of death and then spend more weekends searching down those who witnessed your care of your Aunt. You will create family trees and massive spreadsheets, seek out children of your cousins, write letters and more letters, spend hours on the phone, become friendly with bank managers, and have piles of files! At times, you will wonder if you will ever be able to deliver this Last Gift of finalizing affairs to you Brother and Aunt.
I would have taken on this challenge as a Last Gift even if I had known how crazy this journey would be, but I really am glad I did not know. The good news, is that after almost 3 years, I think I see the finish line in the distance, as long as there is not a request for some obscure document leading to another Groundhog Day!
5 comments:
Good they had you. I do know how hard the task can be of finding every last document, but it sounds like yours was an even more exhaustive process. I'm glad the end is in sight. Groundhog Day CAN end. I'm also in awe that you still sound like you have a sense of humor through it all.
I agree with Melanie! It’s good they had YOU. Dealing with the process of grieving and tracking down the papers are hard. It’s an exhausting process. I do hope it’s over soon for you.
Thinking of you.
Oh my goodness! What an exhausting experience. I'm glad you are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
Providence knew that you were the right person. Even when a person is a child f the deceased it’s a struggle so I can only I,Aline. It was a gift to her and I hope in some way yourself.
I can't even imagine what would necesitate a process like this. I happily remain in the dark! Good for you for being there for your family.
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