Q: My sister is POA for my elderly parents. She is not sharing any information with me. I am on the wills, etc. What are my rights to receive information. I live her in Pittsburgh and they all live in Erie. Parents put her as POA, because she is the oldest and they thought/hoped we would all get along. This is not the case. My sister and I are estranged. She did not even tell me when my mother fell at the facility in Oct. Do I have any rights to view finances for my parents as I am not sure everything is good with their finances. I have asked repeatedly for information, even in the past when we were speaking, I sent a certified letter to her 3 weeks ago asking for financial information and to see if she sold their car and if she filed for the VA benefits they are entitled to. There has been no response.

A:  Just being an heir or one of the children does not give you rights to receive the information you want. In fact, your sister may have a duty to keep your parents’ information confidential. If you are concerned that she is abusing or financially exploiting your parents you could petition the court to have her file an accounting of all of the funds she is managing as Agent under the POA. You could also have yourself of someone else appointed as guardian. If you retain an attorney, he or she can advise you which one of these measures might work best. Just having the attorney involved, may cause your sister to give you the information you need and to be more cooperative. It could also make matters worse and result in more family drama. Communication is the key. I would keep trying to communicate with your sister and only use a lawyer and legal system as a last resort.