My Boomer Tips
I asked this question yesterday, but everyone said it was all my familys fault. I added some details and would like some more advice.
It all started when my grandmother died a year ago. She had an old, legal will done at a lawyers office, and a new will that was hand-written by two of her 9 children and never signed by my grandmother. My grandmother raised me and two of my brothers as well as her own children. When she died, her children tried to push the new will through, however since there was a legal will, the new one was thrown out and the old one was used. The problem is, one of my brothers was purposely left out of the new will (the one that was thrown out), even though all the rest of us were included. The reason he was left out is that he has a fantastic job, a loving wife and children, owns a very nice house and a lot of land, take frequent vacations, etc. His wife's family has a lot of money so even though he has three kids in college he is still doing very well. The rest of us all struggle to get by.
Since the old will was the one that was legal, my brother DID get his share. However, since all this happened he will no longer speak to any of us or have contact with any of us. I know some things were said that have gotten back to him that really upset him, however it is true that he really didn't need that money and the rest of us do. He used to pay for all the food for holiday get-togethers and rent a place to have them but now he won't even return our calls when we try to include him, he also used to help pay for clothes for our kids and buy them nice gifts for their birthdays and no longer does that, either. He has not talked to any of us for months now even though we try to contact him a few times a week. I don't understand why he is so upset that he would stop communicating completely.
I should add that we are not talking about a huge inheritance here. My Grandmother did not have much, and divided us, there really isn't much to go around. How can we get him to understand that he was only left out because he doesn't need anything? I will admit that some of the aunts and uncles may be jealous of him, but I would like to have him back in our lives.
I have tried to email his wife countless times. Ih ave left messages on his cell phone and his home answering machine. His wife used to be a good friend, but now neither one of them will talk to me AT ALL. I had no part of having them taken out of the new will but I am a single Mom and can barely pay my bills. His kids are all going to very good colleges and have always had the best of everything and I'm not even sure mine will be able to go to any college at all. It wasn't about trying to make him an outcast or make him feel that he wasn't important to my Grandma, it was just that everyone else really can use that money and his family does not need it! I think what made it worse, was that some of my aunts and uncles tried to sneak away some of the personal possessions that he was supposed to get as well, but they did have to return them. He got everything he was supposed to get, but now it's like he is too good to even speak to anyone!
I understand why he is upset, but it was only two people responsible for writing the new will, and he won't talk to ANY OF US!
