My husband and I are in our early and late 30s. We moved into our home a year ago, spent an additional 10K on failing AC system, etc, and are now trying to replenish our savings. I'm an only child and my husband has one sibling. Two years ago my FIL suddenly died of a heart attack leaving behind my MIL. She had been running her own business, but after two years of her trying to make it more profitable, we realized that she only makes enough to cover her business expenses, and uses savings to cover her living expenses. I assume she was previously relying on FIL to cover her living expenses. She does not own a home and is currently a renter. The only "asset" she has is the quickly running out life insurance money and a small retirement account from her husband. She is getting antsy about moving to our property, or nearby, since she realizes that she cannot make the business profitable enough to cover her living expenses. The problems are: she needs a place to live, she does not have an easily marketable skill, she is still four years out from reaching retirement age, she likely could only get minimum wage jobs, odd jobs, etc. Her savings/ retirement plus contribution we can make is not enough to build her even a modest 1,000 SF home or even an add on to our house. Any ideas what to do if you were in our shoes? Husband makes enough to cover our expenses with a little surplus and I'm a SAHM with an 18 month old and baby due at the end of November. I'd only consider working when the kids are at least 5 years old for financial reasons (can send them to public school) instead of paying for daycare.
Good idea I may just have to make that call asap and inquire. The market rate for rent in my area is much too expensive for her, about $300 more than what she is paying in rent where she is currently living.
Thanks for your comment. I would say that is probably a fair assessment of her business since it does not pay any living expenses. It seems like my FIL was generous enough to let her do what she loved to do for years with no expectation of it paying any bills. Unfortunately, my husband and I are unwilling to do the same for her, and my BIL may be unwilling to too. It's looking like she may have to find paid employment somehow in the near future and find a place to rent for dirt cheap. Perhaps she can do more art once she is able to draw on FIL social security at age 66.5 when she hopefully does not have to work as much.
And when she is accepted for a HUD place, then her rent amount is a percentage amount set by her income. She could make do even if she's only able to get minimum wage work.
(This info is for U.S., are you in the States?)
There is senior housing for 55 and up for low income.