Crawling Towards The Finish Line

 I keep looking for the light at the end of the tunnel and then realize that the light is just another train set to run me over.  Or so it seems.

I spent the summer of 2022 caring for my mother, making decisions for her and holding her hand while she died.  Then I spent the rest of the year filling out forms, fighting financial institutions, and trying to do the right things all while being emotionally and physically exhausted.

I spent the first part of 2023 caring for my father, making decisions for him, trying to get him the best care possible for his situation and then beating myself up for not being there when he died.   Then I spent the second half  of the year filling out forms, fighting financial institutions, and trying to do the right things all while being emotionally and physically exhausted.

It's now 2024 and I'm still emotionally and physically exhausted as I fill out more forms and try to sell the home that was owned by my mother (although it because my parents’ primary residence officially in 2018, it was owned solely by my mother).  I've had some wonderful help (mostly from my husband and my real estate agent), but it's still exhausting.

I OWN the house at the shore.  In my mother's will it was left to me, her ONLY beneficiary.  I had my name put on the title after my father's death in 2023.  I had to use an attorney to do so, and used the woman that oversaw my parents' legal affairs.  (She did their wills, the PoA, etc.)  I paid a sum of money to do so and the title (I believe) now resides in our safe deposit box.

HOWEVER, since  the property was conveyed to you as part of your mother's estate, the title company required me  to complete an estate questionnaire.  I did the best I could.  There were questions I could not answer.  (After all there is no longer an estate...everything has been transferred to my name.)  I asked my accountant (who was also my parents' accountant) for help and despite being on vacation he texted me some yes/no answers to the questions.   I sent everything back to MY attorney (who is necessary to sell the house.) 

The attorney asked if I had previously filled out an L-9 form.  (What is that?  "Form L-9 is an affidavit executed by the executor, administrator or joint tenant requesting the issuance of a tax waiver for real property located in New Jersey which was held by a resident decedent.")  According to my accountant, I had not, but we could if it was deemed necessary.

Today my attorney emailed me and said:  "We have asked the title company if they will allow us to proceed without filing the L9 form with the state given that you are the only beneficiary and a class A beneficiary. Typically, title companies require the L9 regardless of beneficiary status and they are always filed when a decedent owns property. "

So to be "proactive" I downloaded the form and filled it out to the best of my ability.  It requires a notary, so if I do need to get this done, I'll have to find someone (quickly) who can do that for me.  And I will get it down and I will submit it.  All while crawling towards what I hope is the finish line of this long and painful process.  A process that I hope (and pray) will be over within the next week or so.

And when all is said and done, I'm going to crawl to my bed, hid my head under the covers and  thank God that I made my way to the finish line.

Anyone wishing to send prayers, good thoughts, best wishes, positive energy...please do so.  My knees are worn from this crawl and I think I can feel the brain matter seeping out of my ears.

UPDATED:  Now because the way my mother's will is worded I may have to have my son sign an affidavit saying he has no claim on the property!  The sh*t continues to fly.  Stay tuned as I keep crawling over it.