family, money and feeling guilty

**ansley** · 01-09-2011, 03:55 PM

Background: 12 yrs ago I put a trailer on my parents land. My dad has always been the financial guru in our family and he did most of the paperwork and etc. He got the trailer in his name so that the deposit for utilities would be less. My DS and I lived there for about 3yrs. DS and I then moved in with my current DH a few towns away. I let my mom keep the trailer to rent out. My dad had passed away by then. Mom rented it out for a while but people she had known for yrs kept stiffing her. So, she decided to sell it and give me part of what she got. It was sold and I got my part. I thought it was over and done with.

Yesterday, I found out that my mom is still getting a tax bill in my dad's name for the trailer. At this point it is 1yr behind. I guess she had been paying it but she wouldn't really talk to me about it. She said that she didn't have the trailer and she wasn't going to pay it. She was getting up set about it so I let it drop for now.

I worry about what will happen if she continues to ignore it. What can we do to get the record straight? TIA

**Contrary Housewife** · 01-09-2011, 04:32 PM

Call your county or state tax office. There will be a number on the statement or the letters she is getting.

Here when you get the bill for something you no longer own all you have to do is put a line though the item and send it back.

**krbshappy71** · 01-09-2011, 05:12 PM

Poor thing, that bill must haunt her though, it probably brings everything back to the surface when it comes in. If you won't mind looking into it, it might be a simple solution such as just talking to someone and/or paying it off.

Sometimes when life is too stressful even the simplest things feel overwhelming.

**Mom23boys** · 01-09-2011, 05:40 PM

I agree with the above posters. I think a simple phone call to the county tax assessor might clear everything up. They will probably need a copy of the bill of sale showing she no longer owns the property. I wouldn't leave it sitting there; I would try to clear it up so that your mom will never have to worry over it again.

**ansley** · 01-11-2011, 12:32 PM

My mom doesn't remember who she sold it to and she has moved several times. I doubt she still has any paperwork.

She insists that my oldest sister handle it. It isn't in my name or anything so I guess I will let them deal with it. I just feel bad that they were trying to help me and now this. It makes me not want to sell anything registered with the court house without an attorney.

One car I bought (with trade and cash) I noticed that the title had never been taken out of the person's name that owned it before the guy I bought it from. He also told me not to date the title I was trading in but I did.