This is a great idea… for those who have an extra month’s worth of rent on hand. When I was on a strict, aggressive plan like I’m guessing Chapter 13 is, I didn’t have that wiggle room.

Heading into year 4 of defending my late partner’s will against his ex and kids. We were together 15 years, he had a very generous life insurance policy for them, but…here we are.

I hope something comes through for him soon! The uncertainty of it all is crazy-making.

He has four kids. The oldest two weren’t introduced to us until they were like kindergarten and second grade or so (now totally grown). No one asked about their father(s )at the time because we didn’t want to be rude and we assumed my brother had just met the mom. After they were married, I heard SIL share a story about visiting my brother in college while she was pregnant. So their relationship goes back longer than we thought. I don’t know if she was just visiting as a friend though since she is friends with a lot of his friends. As I just mentioned, those children are now adults but they actually know my mom the best (especially the second oldest, who regularly does things for my mom). It’s just weird to me that my brother never talked about their father(s) and that my mom has taken this arbitrary stance that they aren’t apparently family enough because there isn’t blood (or at least as far as she is aware). I know, the whole thing is freaking weird.

I love this! I wear my MIL’s mom’s wedding set, which she gifted to us after we were married a year. I married at 23. :)

Welcome to the fun mind games of family financing.