Aaaaaugh. I just realized I HAVE to nag Pete into us making some sort of estate plans, because I'm not actually listed on the mortgage. I bet him having a green card would complicate things, too.

But can people here go after his money there because I'm liable for a debt?

Assets are assets, regardless of location. It will be more difficult to get their hands on the money, but it can be done. Foreign assets are seized all of the time. Again it depends on what kind of access he grants you to those accounts.

U.S. tax forms will ask you about foreign INCOME, and income-producing assets, but just the accounts? I don't think so.

With my dad's recent bought with Cancer, I was trying to bring up the question of having affairs in order. Anytime the subject came close to being brought up, he would say somehting like "that would be admitting defeat" or some such. So frustrating. His GF was wanting some docs drawn up too. But nope. No such doing. And on my Mom's side, now that she owns something, she's like "oh, well, just split everything between you three kids". Great. Now put that in writing. Nope. Won't do it. Of course, I don't have anything drawn up either, so I guess I can't harp too much.

I'm assuming there are some countries where it's between hard and impossible to get your hands on the assets, and that's why they're the banking powers they are.

Jamaica's definitely not one of those.

However, if someone was coming at me that hard for a debt, that's exactly what my father would want me to do with the money, within reason.

Reason, of course, being the word that debt collectors don't get paid to worry about.

He seems to want to grant me every access in the world. I have no idea. I just keep signing shit.

For all I know, it's an elaborate identity theft scheme.

I just realized I HAVE to nag Pete into us making some sort of estate plans, because I'm not actually listed on the mortgage. I bet him having a green card would complicate things, too.

Yes, you do. Are you listed on the deed? You would have to qualify for a mortgage on your own, as if you were buying it outright. There's also arcane rules that concern how the house is valued upon inheritance that may or may not apply.

Just having a green card shouldn't complicate matters in the U.S. from an estate settlement standpoint. From the committing of crimes standpoint, it does make it much easier to deport an individual if he/she is not a citizen.

Yes, you do. Are you listed on the deed? You would have to qualify for a mortgage on your own, as if you were buying it outright. There's also arcane rules that concern how the house is valued upon inheritance that may or may not apply.

Oh fuck me. I have no idea if I'm on the deed (really, I'm a semi-responsible adult, I swear). I guess there's the emotionally-fraught estate planning conversation in our immediate future.

Try to get him to talk to an attorney as well, since there's real property involved. An initial consultation with an estate planning lawyer should be free.

I think many people are like my mom was, just under the vague impression that when they die, their kids "get everything" as if they can just walk off with it. My mom did have a handwritten will, but for a woman who made herself aware of every law regarding her money, she seemed strangely unaware of laws regarding the disposition of her assets after she wasn't around anymore.

Either that, or she just planned to spend everything before she went! She sure loved to write checks.

Yes, you do. Are you listed on the deed? You would have to qualify for a mortgage on your own, as if you were buying it outright. There's also arcane rules that concern how the house is valued upon inheritance that may or may not apply.

I'm on the deed but not on the mortgage for the house. Our attorney at closing said that as long as I kept paying the mortgage if something were to happen to TCG, I would not have to get a new one in my name.

My mother has been telling me where the safety deposit key is every time she has taken a vacation without me since I was little. All the paperwork I would need if something were to happen to her and my stepdad is in there.

M and I just had the "we need to write a will" convo, which is now also the "who would look after Rose" convo. Not fun, but necessary. Now we just have to put it in writing. If we write a will through LegalZoom, that ought to be enough, right?