Repay back college tuition

Question

My mom paid for my college degree. She paid the school directly (no loans and this was over 20 years ago). My mom recently died. The will said split everything five ways but now my three brothers and two sisters (none went to college) said they want me to repay the college money to mom's estate so they can split the money or they will deduct from my 1/5. My brothers and sisters had the same option to go to school and have mom pay for it. They didn't want to go. Mom never said she expected me to repay it. What should I do?

Answer 1

If it wasn't in your mothers will that the college money was a loan to be deducted from your share of the inheritance,then you do not have to pay it back. It was a gift.

It always amazes me that when someone passes away,people become like vultures. My grandmother gave me her piano before she died. After she passed,my aunt said I should give it back to the estate so it could be sold and the money split. Pitiful that a loved ones death brings out the greed.

Sorry for the loss of your mother.

Answer 2

tell them to get over it! If they regret the choices they made then they can fix it with their 1/5 of the share. No need for you to pay it back in death when it wasn't expected in life!

Answer 3

I'm sorry your mom passed away.  Equally sorry that you have to see this very common unsightly greedy behaviour on the part of your siblings.  When my grandparents died it was discovered that they had given one of my aunts around $4000 to help her out when she got divorced.  Well, one of my other aunts got her nose all bent out of shape about it.  My Dad was the executor and basically said that the money was not part of the estate and that my aunt didn't have to pay it back.  The same applies to you, Dear.  It doesn't matter if your mom gave you a million dollars.  Only the money and property that exists at the time of your mother's death is what constitutes her estate, OK.  Your brothers and sisters have no legal right to ask you to repay anything.  If they push it, get a lawyer involved in probate process.  Honestly, I'm really appalled at how people behave when someone dies.  Why don't you ask your dear brothers and sisters how your mom would feel about the way they are behaving?  People act as though the dead know nothing.  How wrong they are!