i would imagine the joint estate was probably worth around $500,000, and that she probably contributed at least 60% of it. i know that most of their wealth was tied into property, but i don't know how much debt they had. they lived above their means.

i wouldn't expect that he got any insurance money for brain cancer beyond what could be claimed directly.

i don't know exactly how old she is, but she's actually a few years older than he would have been. by now, she's in her mid to late 60s.

a complicating factor is that i believe she was placed on leave and forced into early retirement due to a mental illness. i kind of deduced she was probably bipolar, but it was never clearly explained to me. when i was younger, i was told she has an "imbalance"; the last couple of years of his life, he just called her retarded. he was constantly apologizing for her...

"i'm sorry that she smashed your guitar. what do you want me to tell you? she's retarded."

and, frankly, i think it might have been closest to the truth - she may be on the autism spectrum. so, what do you do when you have an autistic person with a fiduciary duty over somebody with a stress disorder, who refuses to carry it out?

it's a messy situation. clearly. so, it would be easier if i could just get the odsp check. sadly, that's closing down as a reality....

but, i don't know what kind of retirement income she gets, or how much of that money she can claim as necessary for her own retirement.

i may end up suing my sister, instead.

we'll see what i'm able to learn - i'll need to call the lawyer first, and then the court house.