Joint Property

Dear Len & Rosie,

After my second wife passed away, I put my step-daughter's name on the title to our house as joint tenants. I tried to sell the house last year but she would not sign the papers because she said she wanted the whole house. I went to a lawyer, and he didn't do anything. I went to another lawyer, and still nothing. I have already spent $7,000 on lawyers and I have made no progress.

All I want to do is sell the house and give her one-half of the money I get, but she won't listen. My step-daughter wants to buy the house from me for only $40,000. If she gets it, she'll sell the house for a lot more money. I pay all the upkeep on the house, including taxes, insurance, and everything else. She never paid a cent. 

I am 77 years old and she is waiting for my death so she can get everything. She never sees me and has never done anything for me since her mother died, even though she lives only 3 miles away. She is so mad about me because I have a girlfriend who takes good care of me. I want to sell the house, but not to her for what little she wants to pay. I worked too hard for that. Do I have the right to sell the house without her signature?

Domenic

A/B Trusts

Dear Len & Rosie,

My husband passed away recently after a courageous 19-year battle with prostate cancer. We made a revocable trust five years ago. The trust leaves everything to my husband's son and grandson, with a larger share passing to the son. I have no children of my own. I would like to change the beneficiaries to leave everything to my stepson and grandson equally. Do I need to make up another revocable trust in my name, now that my dear husband is gone and designate the two of them jointly as primary beneficiaries? Also, will I get the stepped up value on my husband's half the property as of his date of death?

Pat