DEAR ABBY: My grandmother passed away 16 years ago. Before she passed, she told me and my two kids that she had an account for each of them for their college. After she was gone, my aunt was in charge of her will. My kids never got their money, and my aunt would never let me see my grandmother’s will.
I heard my grandmother ask my aunt if she had filed her will at the courthouse, and my aunt told her she did. But when I went to the courthouse, the will was not on file. How do I raise the subject of my kids’ inheritance with my aunt?
Right now, I’m living with her. How do I do this without causing an argument in the family? — OWED IN GEORGIA
DEAR OWED: If you were named in your grandmother’s will, you had a right to see the document. For your aunt to disregard her mother’s wishes and hoard the money for herself is theft. There may not be a way to avoid an “argument” about this, which is why you should have a lawyer raise the subject with her if you can afford to consult one. (I hope there is still money left after all this time.)
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
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