Life Advice

/

Health

Ask Amy: An aging mother ponders her legacy

Amy Dickinson, Tribune Content Agency on

Dear Amy: I have two daughters and a son. All are adults. I am divorced from their father and am still single after 17 years since the divorce.

My girls both remain in my life – the youngest especially. “Chloe” is always there for me.

“Nancy,” the eldest, is like a cat toward me – she only makes time and effort for me if it’s on her terms and she is in the right mood, which is not very often.

My son, “Bradley” however, completely avoids me. He never answers his phone if I call. He doesn’t respond to contact from myself, his father, or his older sister, but he sometimes relates with Chloe.

Now that I’m over 60 and have battled cancer, I’m feeling my mortality and starting to think about things like getting a will done.

I’m a person of simple means so there won’t be much money left, but there will be a few thousand dollars in a 401K account and some life insurance money.

 

My dilemma is: Should I leave Bradley completely out of the will?

It seems the sad, sobering thing to do, but it would be based on how he has treated me.

Since Nancy is lukewarm toward me, should I leave her one-third, and then two-thirds goes to Chloe, who has been the most loving and giving child?

I suspect that if I do an even three-way split, the girls, especially Chloe, will feel resentful that their “deadbeat brother” got anything at all.

...continued

swipe to next page

 

 

Comics

John Cole John Branch Mike Smith Pat Bagley Pardon My Planet Dave Whamond