The one thing Ann J. can say for certain about her mother’s estate plan is that it’s a work in progress. And her mother is 92. “Just recently, we found out that she has a new plan for the properties we thought were earmarked for me and for my brother,” says Ann, 65, a teacher in Northampton, Massachusetts, who is not using her last name to protect her privacy.
Because Ann’s mother has managed her own finances since a rough divorce many years ago, Ann assumed her mother would have long settled the plans for her estate. But, Ann admits, she never probed too deeply, because her mother rarely wanted to discuss any details. “Now we’re realizing that there are a lot of gaps in her plan,” Ann says, with some frustration. “I think we need to step in. But to be honest, she’s still in control and doesn’t want our input at all.”
