Family news

Lolo's will has finally been settled, and the court settlement insists that Lolo's stepdaughter be compensated and the will be applied as per Lolo's wishes, not as interpreted by his son.

Hope it works. I have a (small) private income and a lawyer if not.

My stepson actually told the court that my income was larger than his from the farm. I am on a small pension plus SS, since much of my work was in low income areas I don't have a lot of savings.

I have little sympathy for him, since in the last five years of my husband's life he not only used my husband's SS and larger pension for his expenses (while I paid for the food for family and staff) but he managed to empty the entire savings accounts, including money gifted to his stepdaughter.

I get nothing from the will, although I understand my husband put my name of some properties (I can't own them here under law, but it was to give me a guaranteed income so I could get residency here). I also was granted the income from the apartment he gifted to his granddaughter, mainly so her father wouldn't sell the property or use the income, the idea being that she could live there if she attends college in Manila, and until then have the rent for her tuition fees and expenses.

My stepson is mildly bipolar, and right now he is stable, but spends every penny in sight on building and other things when he is in a hypomanic phase.

One reason I was happy his granddaughter is finishing high school overseas is to protect her from the toxic environment here.