Commercial Property Won't Sell Owner doesn't know if he can give it away or simply abandon his building Q: I own a commercial property that I no longer want to own. The market value of this property is zero as there are many abandoned properties nearby. The real estate taxes are astronomically high for a [...]
Trust Distribution Held Up Q: I was told I am a beneficiary of my sister's trust. She owned a home and other assets. Her son is the trustee but we don’t have a good relationship. I have been waiting for my distribution for several months. I have called several times and each time I [...]
Trusts Need Their Own Checking Accounts Q: I read your recent article about how to put a home with a mortgage into a trust. I agree with your advice, but as the daughter who had to deal with the sale of my mother’s home that was held in her trust, there is one further [...]
Emotional Support Animals, Landlords, and Tenants Q: My daughter lives in a large apartment building in a western suburb of Chicago. She is allowed to have her emotional support animal as long as she has documentation from her doctor. Now she is shopping around for a condominium. There is a unit that she really likes, [...]
Empty Trusts: Estate Planning Mistake #1 Q: I created a revocable trust so that my three kids won’t have to deal with probate when I die as I did with my parents’ home. How do I get my mortgaged home into the trust, or does it need to be? A: We think you’ve made a [...]
Revocable Trust: Get It Right the First Time Q: We had created a revocable trust to hold title to a family home back in 2007. The attorney that created the trust for us has since retired. We need to make some minute, simple changes to the trust. Our son has since married and has two [...]
Timeshares 2025: Buying, Selling, Trading Up During the winter, our readers are more interested in buying, selling, or trading timeshares. It’s been a cold winter in much of the country. Snow in Jacksonville, Florida, anyone? If you’re considering one, you’ll want to read this before you go to the so-called “free” lunch. How Difficult Are [...]
HOA Complaints: Who Pays for Patching and Repainting? Q: I love your column and read it weekly. I live in a mid-sized condo building in Chicago. Last year the common roof above my unit leaked and caused ceiling damage to my unit in several large areas, which required drywall repair, patching and repainting. When I [...]
Paying Taxes on a Home Owned with Kids Q: Our daughter and son-in-law lived in and paid all related expenses for three years in a home we purchased together. They recently sold the home. Could you tell us how we can report this on our federal tax return? If not, can you tell us where [...]
Unpaid Home Loan Reader wants her fair share after siblings failed to repay loans to mother's estate Q: My mother told me directly that the home loans my sisters and brother received from her would be taken out of their inheritance. My mother passed away 10 years ago. I just found out that my siblings [...]
