Need Help

[Caroline Carr]

Friend thought I could get help on here . Live with boyfriend, he is in bad healh. We bought house together but everything is in his name now that his health has gotten so bad I realize this was not a good thing to do. I pay for most of the bills. 99% he has 3 x wives and 5 kids who is not on the best of terms with but I know that if something happens to him they would be at the door before he was cold. What do I do ? I have a 14 year old son and I have no papers he keeps saying I love you it is ok. I think it is when he is here. Help. I really cannot afford a lawyer when I am paying the bills. I know nothing of the laws in North Carolina. and nothing about Real Estate. I TRUSTED HIM BECAUSE I LOVE HIM IT FEELS TACKY TO ASK HIM FOR A PAPER WHEN HE IS SICK AND IF HE DIES BUT I FEEL LIKE IT IS MY HOUSE TOO. HE IS RETIRED AND A FEW YEARS OLDER THAN I AM.

[Jon Holdman]

What is it you want help with?

If the house is in his name and he dies, it will be passed along according to his will, if he has one. If not, it will be distributed according to state law. That can be a messy and time consuming process, and I wouldn't count on cooperation from the three ex (I assume) wives. If one of them is in fact still his wife, it would almost certainly go to her.

Frankly, it sounds like he's mooching off you. He's sick and needs a caregiver and someone to pay all his bills. You're doing that. Seems like you think he may die soon. You MUST have some legal protection or you are going to end up with the short end of the stick.

What do you mean by "a paper"? Marriage? Probably a good idea. Being on the deed for the house? Most certainly a good idea, and quite easy to do. Hard to say exactly what to do without knowing your state, but one approach would be to call a title company and ask them what you need to do to create a new deed that lists him as the grantee and you and him as the grantor. That gives you legal ownership of the house. If he dies, its yours, no questions asked. Being married would make it very clear to the lender that you can just keep paying the mortgage, even if he dies.

If he says "no" to putting you on the deed and marrying you, then, IMHO, you are being used and he has no intention of taking care of you if he dies.