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I have Power of Attorney for my mom for 5 years now and have been taking care of all of my moms finances for all those years. My mom had a stroke last year and now lives with me and i take care of her 24/7 with absolutley no help from the other 4 sibblings. They are requesting monthly statements from me and if I don't give it to them they said they will have a Lawyer contact me. I do not charge my mom anything to live here except for her own expenses such as food, supplies, gas to get supplies, and sitters to watch her while I get her supplies. They also are requesting to send her back to her own home so they can help with her care because they are uncomfortable helping me at my own home. This is making me nuts. My mom does not want to leave my home to go back there but they just don't believe me even though she tells them that. My mom is very happy here and all of her needs are being met except I am getting burned out. I have asked them to watch her for 1 day out of the week so I can get some rest because of the fibromyalgia that I have is taking a toll on me. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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I'm having the same issue with my sister. I have cared for my dad for 2 years while he lived in his home. Then he had a stroke & came to live with us last month. If you have the POA, you don't have to provide them with anything. They just want a bigger inheritance, If your mom can afford it, you deserve compensation. My opinion is that they are just blowing smoke & trying to make you miserable. I no longer speak to my sister on the phone. I have forced her to email or text me. That way I have proof of everything. You need to schedule respite care on a weekly basis so you have a break just for you. Go to a movie or have coffee with a friend. I also have Fibromyalgia & lately my pain has been through the roof & I am tired all the time. Stess=pain. I'm fortunate to have a wonderful husband. Take good care of yourself. You are a wonderful daughter & your mom knows it!
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Sure, they can ASK for financial statements from you. They can ask you to sing all the verses of the Farmer in the Dell. That doesn't mean you have to do it. So a lawyer contacts you ... and?

But here's my question: why not try to work with them and build a team with Mother's interests in mind? Maybe that will never happen, but it would be worth a concerted effort. You know these people; I don't. Is their real concern for Mom, and fear that you might be taking advantage of her? Or might it be fear of loss of inheritence?

Either way, what would be the harm in sending them what they want? You are not taking advantage of your mother; you records would prove that. Why not get it all out in the open? I hope you are including sitters for respite care, so you can get out on your own once in a while. Your sibs could reduce that expense if they chose to provide respite care themselves, but if the choose not to, they can't begrudge you spending money on it. Your problem is burn out? Guard against that! If you have found reliable sitters, take advantage of that for more than errand running. The one-day-a-week is not negotiable. How it is provided you are open about.

If your mom is in her right mind -- legally competent to make decisions -- and she decides to stay where she is, I don't see how they could force her to move, no matter how many lawyer letters they pay to have sent. And if she is incompetent, you have POA, so they still can't insist she move.

If the Sibs think it would be cheaper (I.e., save their inheritence) to provide 24/7 care in Mom's own home, they are nuts.

If Mom were in a Nursing Home, they'd have to visit her if they wanted to see her and help her, whether they were comfortable in nursing homes or not. She's in your home. If they want to help her that is where they have to do it. If it were the Sibs posting here and asking for advice I'd tell them (kindly and politely, I hope) to grow up, get over themselves, and focus on their mother, not on how "comfortable" they want to be. But, alas, they aren't the ones writing in.

So, what can you do? Well, you could reply to them, "Go ahead and pay money for your lawyer letters. I'm not doing anything illegal. Na-na-na-na-NA-na!" But I suggest you save that kind of justifiable venting for here. Among your siblings, try to be the peacemaker, for Mom's sake. Tell them you are so glad they are taking an interest in Mom's care, because it really is much more than you can do alone, and you welcome their input. Tell them that while you are doing your taxes this year you will also pull together some figures about her expenses. Then you'd like to get together with them to go over the finances, so everyone is on the same page. You can discuss at the present rate, how long her money will last, and what will happen if she needs more professional care than can be given at home. How would that be paid for? Then you'd like to discuss some other things besides finances. How she is. How you together as a family can make sure she stays comfortable and happy.

If there is a lot bad feeling in the family now, perhaps having a nuetral outsider conduct the meeting would be helpful -- a social worker, a clergy person, a mediator -- so you all stay focussed on what is best for Mom.

Good luck to you, Rose. Come back and give us updates on how things work out.
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Short and sweet, no Farmer in the Dell, either.
I gave a detailed accounting of the first year and a half of being POA and listed what and where the costs went. Also gave details of my time and a copy of the savings I had accrued. Then I asked for an accounting of 2 siblings input and what was that worth. They don't bother me anymore. Hi ho the derryoh.
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I am Mom's POA. When my siblings started demanding financial statements I gave them full internet access to all accounts. Still unhappy they-wanted paper statements mailed (just to harrass me because of jealously that I was appointed POA). So I hired an attorney, trust company and conservator to do all the work and WASHED my hands of it. Now they complain its too expensive - but too late - their nasty letters and threats justify all the added expenses! I am now at peace and each time the complain to the attorney its $195.00 per hour! So be it!
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All I have to say is I hate it that I'm an only child and I love it that I'm an only child.
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My sister has also asked for all of my Mom's financial statements from the time I took over paying the bills. She wanted it all, bank statements, credit card statements, tax returns, just everything. She also wanted a copy of my Mom's will. What my sister didn't know is that my Mom has changed her will, so that my sister inheritance is to be set up in a trust account for her, because my Mom doesn't like my sister boyfriend and my Mom doesn't want the boyfriend to know any thing about her finances. So before I released any information to my sister, I talked to my Mom about it. My Mom said no, do not give her anything and Mom had me write a letter back to my sister stating that she was happy with the way I helping her handle her affairs and that we would not be releasing any of the requested info to her. As for the will my Mom is standing very firm that it is her will and she doesn't have to show it to her if she doesn't want.

I do agree with jeannegibbs, that if your mom doesn't have a problem with releasing the information, what can it hurt. I would just take time to put it together. If you are open with this information, your family may be more open to helping you out in your home. My sister, does nothing the help, she doesn't even call my Mom. I can tell you, I send e-mails at my sister after each major Dr appt to give her up dates on my mom's heath and if there is a problem with her health, I give her that information also. I just do not give her any finacial information. Even with my e-mails, my sister doesn't return e-mails to me, which makes me think, she is only in it for the inheritance, then I really do not know that either. Go Luck with your mom and family.
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I look back and realize how lucky my sisters and I were. I retired early, paid $7,000 to move to be near my mom. Although one sibling mainly wrote out checks for our mom, we all had POA and all had debit cards for her bank account so we could each pay for her coffee or buy clothes for her when we took her shopping or ordered clothes from catalogs. We ALL received monthly bank statements from mom's bank. When I had a once-in-a-lifetime chance to take a trip to country of our g g g grandparents, my sisters insisted it come from my mother's money. Our mom was very generous when in charge of her own money so we all knew that the trip would have been exactly what she would have wanted. The hard part was actually accepting the gift because we were always wondering if there would be enough money for future unknown expenses (there was). After 12 years, mom "left" and I moved back ($12,000 moving expenses this time) to be near my own children.
Looking back, I see our mom gave her children yet another HUGE gift as our inheritance. She had raised us all to be meticulously honest and bend-over-backwards fair, which meant we had total trust in each other. The way she raised her kids when they were young had direct consequences for her in her old age.
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No, your siblings cannot enforce a demand to see your mother’s financial statements. You are the POA, and unless such a provision is a condition of your position/authority under that POA. 
With that said... cooperative transparency can reduce alot of wrath and cut off suspicion that you are engaging in any kind of self dealing. 
You have fiduciary responsibility to remain independent, maintain your mother’s resources for HER BENEFIT. Preserving an estate for heirs is SECONDARY. There is nothing your mother should be reasonably denied if the expense is justifiable and desirable for her care and comfort...assuming she has the means to pay for it. I.E. if mom has a “bucket list”, then her spending some of her funds for her own enjoyment is perfectly acceptable. She has a right to enjoy the remainder of her life. 
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I just read the new Durable POA for the state of Alabama where my mother lives. It was amended January 1, 2012. Every state's POA is different. It spells it out clearly that as POA my brother has the obligation to keep receipts and all information on how the money is spent. Now does it say he has to give me a copy of how the money is spent. No. But if I go to an attorney and made my brother account for how he spent my Mother's money, he has a legal obligation to be ethical and not enrich himself.

So, I would assume most states have some similar wording. To protect yourself, keep copies of everything, give your sibling an account of how the money is spent and nip some trouble in the bud. There can be problems if your sibling or siblings want to make it a problem and the money has not been spent wisely. That is one of the problems of being the POA. There are legal obligations to do the best with the parent's money.
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So many readers here have problems with their siblings and it is sad because the main concern should be the welfare of our elder parents. I think mainly they are concerned with your Mom's assets.
As others have said, you absolutely need respite care so that you are able to take care of your Mom. How was the decision about where your Mom would live made when she moved out of the house and had the stroke? Did your siblings offer to take Mom then? Looking at it another way, it just might help maintain peace in the family if you did send them the info they ask for, maybe once a quarter, and not monthly, because you really don't have time to send it more often. Or, have them all come to your house, go over the finances with them and then go and relax and have fun somewhere. Just let the know before they come to your house that you need someone to stay with Mom after the finance discussion so you can have a break. But, then they would be alone with Mom and might try to convince her to move. And Remember, your Mom wanted to stay with you. That should win the controversy.
My Sister is POA and takes care of Mom and Dad's financial matters. Years ago, when they were both competent, we set up a trust so the state couldn't take their money for a nursing home. Mom and Dad intended their money go to their kids. My Dad is in a nursing home, the cost is $4400 a month, but Medicare pays. My Mom is in assisted live, the cost is $3400 a month and that comes out of the trust fund. So, there goes the kid's inheritance, BUT, we would rather have both of them in a place where they are well taken care of and safe. . My Mom said she didn't care what where she lived but she did not want the kids to argue.
I hope you can work this out somehow with your siblings, I think the law is on your side. You are doing a wonderful thing and a great job because your Mom is where she wants to be.
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