This reader needs to determine who in their family will receive a property tax deduction, since the ownership of the home is unclear. Q: My grandma's house is in probate as she passed last year. Her grandchildren have been living there and paying the property taxes. Who gets the tax deduction for those tax payments? [...]
When you deal with a parent's affairs, you should keep in mind that you might need to have two documents at hand to help them out. One document is a power of attorney for health care and the other document is a power of attorney over the parent's finances. If you have a power of attorney over the parents financial matters, make sure you understand what you should do and shouldn't do. You usually won't see problems with siblings and even parents if you use the parent's money directly for the parent's care and well being. But if you decide to sell your parent's home, you should make sure you have the right to do that and you should discuss the matter with your siblings and an estate planner.
