Dear Annie: I feel you overlooked an important point in your response to “Inheritance Issues,” which has been an occasional topic in your column.

Elder financial abuse is all too common.

If the mother can’t make bill payments without help, the implication is that the brother prepared, or had a lawyer prepare, the paperwork to transfer the beach property to himself. Was the mother acting as a well-informed and independent agent in this transaction?

The mother’s excuses could be hiding a very real struggle with declining abilities. The other two siblings might be well advised to be less judgmental of their mother, converse with each other about their mother’s state of health and, if possible, talk with her doctor. If her abilities are declining, she will need their understanding and possibly legal protection.

Dear Inheritance Issues: Thank you for your letter and commonsense suggestions.

Read more Dear Annie and other advice columns.

“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit Creators Publishing for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].