I take care of my mom, now 93, with dementia, since 2007. She goes to a daycare during the day when I work then a home-health aid comes in for two hours until I get home. She is on Medicaid and Medicare.

In 2004 my mom put the house in her name and mine with a life estate. In 2003 my brother stole $35,000. from my mom. She had taken a home equity loan out to put in two new windows, update with a new electrical service and gutters. My brother found out and stole it. The police were involved but Mom would not press charges, nor did he give her anything back. So I co-signed on a loan to cover that money times two. When she came down with dementia in April of 2007 I had to take out a mortgage on the house for 6.75% to make our home handicap accessible all the way around. Now I'm trying to refinance for a 5% rate.

Everything was ready to go but they said because my mom has a life estate on the mortgage they cannot do it and that no other lending company will. I have power of attorney. Mom did it in 2004, to ensure that my brother would not sell the house from underneath her like he had planned to do in 2003. He had her sign papers in 1994 after my dad died and she said she never read them. She signed them with an attorney friend of his and then my brother just kept the documents. We, Mom and I would have never caught him except my bank red-flagged me on my brother's actions with my mother's account that we all three had been on for years. His intention was to put Mom in a home and give the house to his son who was getting married in 2003.

I have been living with my mom since 1994 when my dad died of cancer. I find it very strange that my dad did not leave my mom anything to live on. But I believe now my brother must of took whatever as well.

My question is, do you know of any company that will help me refinance to save me $500.00 a month, with a Life estate attached to our mortgage? We live in New York and I cannot jeopardize my mom's care and I don't want to lose any Medicaid or Medicare.