3rd Wife Moved Money Of Children’s Father When He Was Diagnosed With Dementia.

My ex-husband remarried without a prenuptial agreement; this was his third marriage. He was a highly successful prosthodontist for over 30 years. Following our divorce, he sold one of our homes and used approximately $300,000 for a down payment on a new construction home for his new wife. They married in April 2011, and she brought two daughters into the marriage. She contributed $100,000 toward their $650,000 home.

My ex-husband had a son from his first marriage (30) and our daughter, who just turned 23. Five years ago, he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s and dementia. He was forced to retire and moved into a nursing home within a year. He passed away in October 2025. During his illness, he was unable to pay his 1/3 share of our daughter’s college tuition; I fully understood the circumstances and covered his portion myself.

After his passing, his widow held a Zoom call with his children. She had a lawyer present to do all the talking, and our children were informed that their father’s estate consisted only of about $7,000 in guns and coins. She has since sold their home and used the proceeds to purchase a new home in cash for herself and her daughters. My ex-husband had an IRA worth $1.1 million, in addition to the equity in the home.

Our daughter is getting married this June, but her stepmother has stated she will not be attending. Before he passed, his friend and financial advisor discussed the wedding with her, suggesting they set aside funds because his father would have wanted to contribute. She initially agreed, but he passed shortly after that conversation. Now, she refuses to respond to me. I sent her a kind note mentioning that conversation and asking if she intended to represent her father’s wishes, even offering small suggestions like covering the DJ or the wedding dress. She hasn't replied.

It is heartbreaking for a young woman to go through this during her college years and her wedding. While what she’s done may be legal, it is shocking. It’s also worth noting that she didn't have to spend any of her own money on his long-term care, as a disability policy we established during our marriage covered those costs. We also don't know if she held an additional life insurance policy on him.

My daughter is devastated. She wants to believe the best in people and invited her stepmother and stepsisters because she felt that is what her father would have wanted.

Location: Iowa