Your only legal option when someone fails to pay you as per either a promissory note or some other agreement is to sue them for the money. If the note or other agreement is clear as to the obligation to pay, the case should be straightforward. Where you can get tripped up is on the statute of limitations, or the time period to sue--if that time passes, you may no longer bring a lawsuit. In your state, the statute of limitations on a written agreement is only 5 years. That is not 5 years from when the agreement was made, but 5 years from when it was breched or violated--that is, when the family member failed to pay when payment was due. If that time period is running out on you, you should retain an attorney immediately to help you file an action.