My brother-in-law demands all the assets despite not supporting his parents

A white and red wooden house with fence. Illustration photo by Pexels

My husband is the youngest in his family and has received the most education, with his mother supporting him through private university. His older brother, though well-cared for, now works as a freelance laborer due to his involvement in harmful habits. Besides the two brothers, both parents have children from previous marriages.

When my father-in-law was critically ill, my husband and I took on 80% of his medical expenses for three years. After his passing, we continued to cover 80-90% of the costs to care for my mother-in-law. My brother-in-law lives with her in their hometown but has no stable income and is raising a newborn, so we’re unsure how much he contributes. My husband and I hired a housekeeper to care for my mother-in-law. Occasionally, we offer extra financial help when we can afford it.

The issue arises because my brother-in-law wants to let the housekeeper go, with the intention of having his wife care for both my mother-in-law and their baby while taking the housekeeper’s salary. Currently, my brother-in-law’s wife and baby are staying with her parents, while he is often away working long-distance, making him rarely home.

My husband and I disagree with his plan because we want to ensure my mother-in-law is properly cared for, and we understand my brother-in-law’s intentions. Additionally, we are wary of his tendency to use alcohol as an excuse for reckless behavior and don’t wish to escalate tensions. We hope he doesn’t add unnecessary stress to our small family.

As for the family property, my in-laws only own a plot of land with the house they currently live in. Dividing the land would be difficult, and my brother-in-law lacks the resources to rebuild the house. After my father-in-law passed, my brother-in-law even changed the household registration, transferring the ownership of the house to his name. However, the land title remains under my in-laws’ names, and they have entrusted us with holding onto it.

I would like to know how the property will be divided if my mother-in-law loses her mental capacity. My husband and I are not concerned with inheritance, but we fear that if the property is transferred to my brother-in-law, he could sell it or use the title as collateral for business purposes, potentially causing the family to incur debt or losing the land intended for future ancestor worship.

Can anyone provide an answer?