Since September when my mom passed away, I have been overwhelmed and unsure what steps I should take first. Let me preface this by informing you that none of my family members live anywhere near me.

Let me break down some of the reasons why I feel like this:

The lawyer I got free advice from told me that the vehicle (which never got transferred into my name) could still be forced to be put back into the estate, even if I had transferred the title before she had passed away. Her creditors could make that happen in a courtroom with a judge. That was one reason I hadn't filed Probate yet - because I was trying to determine whether or not I needed to list the car as an asset.

Unbeknownst to me, I found out *after the fact* that I could have gone down to a local court to get forms to start the Probate process myself. Instead, the lawyers I called to get advice from advised me to contact a Paralegal service to get that started. So I closed an old IRA from a 401(k) account I had to cover fees for this Paralegal service. That was back in October. They listed the car as an asset.

Then we have the fact that the car's registration was due the month my mother passed away. The night before she passed the friend that was visiting with me told me I ought to get that title transfer handled before she was gone. That didn't happen. That means I'm driving around with expired registration on the vehicle that's not in my name. To top that off, I had problems with a Check Engine light that came on in March. I brought it to AutoZone and they said it was an airflow issue which would have to be corrected before I could pass emissions. This car has to pass the emissions in order to get the registration renewed.

I'm still not working. I did try one job for a day, but it was walking outdoors for eight hours. I don't think I can do that here in southern Arizona, where we are beginning to have temperatures in the upper 90s and beyond. I only worked the one shift. I signed up for some research studies which I got paid to do. They paid in gift cards. One was a Visa card so I was able to buy some gas with that. The other one I chose for a grocery chain so I could buy some groceries. I've been lucky enough to pick up some free food that people are offering online also.

Yesterday I tried to do an online video research study to earn another gift card. I had to go to Starbucks to do that. I had to get one of the “free Obama” phones cut back on my expenses. I discovered late last night that my internet was still on my old service provider account. It no longer works, so I'm having to go to Starbucks to go online if I need to use my laptop. I had to use my laptop for this video interview through Zoom. They won't allow smartphones or tablets. When I tried to connect the computer asked me to update the app. I can't do that because the memory is maxed out on that computer, so I tried to go through the web browser. It refused to connect so I couldn't do the study, meaning I don't have the extra $40 I thought it was going to get in order to buy gas again. I can go online at home on the phone only using cellular data.

I did get a job offer but I'm waiting for the background check before I can start. I had been looking for part-time work before, but now I think I have to get a full-time job because it'll cost me too much to pay for storage once I do move. I doubt I will have room to put everything wherever I end up going. I'll also have to get a new vehicle soon because this car is going have to be sold for the above listed reasons. There are multiple creditors that are going to seek funds from anything that can be sold to be repaid. The sale of the house will satisfy the majority of those. I may end up getting some money by the time that's all done, but I don't think it'll happen immediately: court dates take time.

You may be wondering how I've been getting by without working? I've had to sell some things, I had to pull some money out of a savings account, and I've cut back on a lot of activities that cost me money. I've also not paid one of the bills because I don't need the DishTV service I had before. I stupidly agreed to a 12 month renewal on a discount program a few months before my mom passed away so I can't simply cancel it.

Two weeks ago I went to file Probate -finally- using the DIY documents that I picked up from the courthouse. When it was my turn I was told I had made a mistake on one of the papers. She also said that the filing fee for probate was $279. When I looked it up online it was only $150! Maybe I was looking at the wrong category? I had that much money available to go ahead and pay to get the Probate filing started. I do not have $279 at this time.

I met with a realtor last week. I had set up the appointment thinking I would get the Probate filing done the week before. He came and talked with me, but we can't do anything with the house until I have representative status through Probate. Meanwhile, this could go into foreclosure because I haven't moved forward with any of these processes that I needed to get done to satisfy the federal rules for a reverse mortgage. Part of it was the emotional factor of the finality of having to file Probate and doing all the work that is involved with that process. I have not set up a memorial. I have not written an obituary. I have not been handling this well at. all.

I was trying to avoid going to this length of asking for help. I am stubbornly independent and don't like to admit when I can't do things on my own. I've reached that point now. I am going to need extra money in the moving process whenever I do move. I have no idea where I'm going to be moving. I don't know if I can even afford to pay rent because they keep going sky high around here. I don't know where my cats I inherited from my mom are going go. I may not be able to take them with me wherever I end up. I don't know who's going take care of the neighbors' cats that she's so callously disregarded, but I can't even worry about those things right now. I have to focus on being responsible and having to take care of Legal and financial affairs that my mom left behind.

I also have to deal with all the physical belongings. There's a lot of physical stuff to handle. I reached out to ask for help with that from a few people who had originally offered to help me after she passed. I didn't get a response that was very helpful. I can't do a full - time job - and go through all these physical things - and pack to move by myself. I will wear myself out. Twelve years ago when I was going through a similar situation with my townhouse, I was so stressed out I came down with pneumonia! I need more than financial assistance at this time. If I had some extra money to pay people to help me, maybe I would get somewhere with the help that I've asked for? I get it. It takes time, money and energy to step out of your routine to assist somebody else. It's not something that's that easy for a lot of people to do. I have had people help me move before- many times. Please if you can support me in any of these ways, I would truly appreciate it.

Thank you,

Heather