DEAR ABBY: When my husband, “Sid,” was a young adult, his mother committed suicide. A few years later, upon the death of his maternal grandparents, his mother’s two siblings inherited his grandparents’ estate. Other family members commented that it seemed wrong that Sid and his sister were being disinherited from their mother’s share of the estate. Because Sid and his sister were young adults, they did not have enough confidence or support to question their aunt and uncle. Their father was out of the picture.

Forty years later, it’s still a source of pain for Sid and his sister. They feel that they have been intentionally disinherited, while their closest relatives act as if nothing had happened. Is there a way to approach the family to resolve this pain? — SAD FOR SID IN NEVADA

DEAR SAD: I strongly suspect that this ship sailed 40 years ago. However, I am not a lawyer. Your husband and his sister should ask this question to an attorney who specializes in wills, estates and trusts to see what exactly happened back then and if anything can be done now to change it.

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Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or PO Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.