Yes actually, she is responsible for the mortgage as it stands right now because she and my father had the mortgage together. Now she has to pay it. The problem is more to do with the fact that she can't refinance it to better terms, or lower rates because it is in life estate. So she's stuck paying the bill there, and yes, you are right, she does have to maintain, and pay taxes, etc...My fears are geared more toward her inability to think that it will eventually become my sisters and mine, or the fact that should we all agree to sell, that my sister and I would even get any portion of the sale. If sold, she is responsible for all costs involving that sale. I did hire an atty when dad first died, to help us understand the contents of the will and the proceedings that took place. Basically the atty told us that she gets to live there until she dies, has to pay for any mortgage and maintenance. She cannot take any loans against the house, nor refi anything. That piece also goes for us. I just wish there was some way to know that if she doesn't pay that mortgage, and this house goes into forclosure, that my sister and I will know this before it's too late. We would be stupid to let a 60k mortgage go on a home that's worth far more in any sense. I'm just wondering if anyone else has been in this type of situation, and how was it handled, when there is friction between the life estate person, and the remaining interest person. Thanks