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Estates

Estates are the assets and liabilities of a deceased person, including land, personal belongings and debts.

6,325 Questions

How long to you have to settle an estate in Maryland?

Our executor is our brother ,we has lied he have received 2.7 of property out of 8.19 now is 5.19 me an my sister belongs to split 5.19 a and if we sell he between a third because his name is on the deed ,need help

Who is the next of kin for minor child with unmarried parents mum or dad?

In the US and the UK a minor child's next of kin is her parents. It doesn't matter whether they are married and the law favors neither one. See the related question for a more detailed source for inheritance from intestate estates.

After death does person with power of attorney have a moraland legal obligation to family members to inform them of the contents and accountability of funds prior to death?

Yes. The attorney-in-fact should turn over any account information, statements, check books, etc., to the executor or administrator. And yes, you are legally accountable for any funds you spent while you had power over the decedent's estate as their attorney-in-fact. If you are accused of self-dealing then you will need to prove that every expenditure you made while attorney-in-fact was for the sole benefit of the principal. Their death doesn't shield you from accountability. If you refuse to co-operate you can be sued.

Is the holder of a life estate allowed to rent the property while he is absent from the property?

Certainly! A life estate means he can use the property as he desires as long as he lives. That includes renting it out to others. It usually goes for a lot less then a normal rental, because it would end at the death of the life estate holder.

What power does the attorney-in-fact have under a Power of Attorney once the principal has died?

A Power of Attorney is only effective while the principal is living. Once the principal (the person who appointed an attorney-in-fact under a POA) dies the POA expires immediately and a new fiduciary must be appointed by the court to settle the estate. The court must appoint an Executor if the decedent left a will or an Administrator if the decedent died intestate (without a will).

As executor of an estate do you have the right not to give money to an heir if you feel she was using the deceased just to become an heir?

An executor must follow the provisions in the will and for any property not distributed by the will must distribute it as intestate property according to the laws of intestacy. An executor does not have discretionary power of distribution unless that power was specifically granted in the will. An executor is personally liable for any acts that go against the will or violate the law.

Can a joint tenant transfer their interest in their property to a trust in California?

Yes. However, you should discuss your plan with an attorney and note that by making a transfer of your interest you will extinguish the survivorship aspect of your ownership. If the other tenant dies their interest will pass to their heirs and not to you as the surviving joint tenant.

Does property automatically go to the closest heir?

No. Property passes by Will or by the laws of intestacy in the jurisdiction where the property is located. You can check the law in your jurisdiction at the related question link.

No. Property passes by Will or by the laws of intestacy in the jurisdiction where the property is located. You can check the law in your jurisdiction at the related question link.

No. Property passes by Will or by the laws of intestacy in the jurisdiction where the property is located. You can check the law in your jurisdiction at the related question link.

No. Property passes by Will or by the laws of intestacy in the jurisdiction where the property is located. You can check the law in your jurisdiction at the related question link.

What can be done if one is robbed of their inheritance?

Robberies should be reported to the police immediately.

Robberies should be reported to the police immediately.

Robberies should be reported to the police immediately.

Robberies should be reported to the police immediately.

Does the trustee of a irrevocable trust have to notify all family members of what is left in the trust?

The beneficiaries are entitled to an accounting to make sure the trustee is not wasting the trust assets.

What is the name of the court petition to remove an executor of a will?

To remove an executor from an estate a petition must be filed. Then there has to be reasoning provided either ineligibility or misconduct. All this must be provided to file in order for a representative of court to review and make a decision.

What if an executor of a will misuses his power?

An executor who fails to act properly should be reported to the court immediately, removed and replaced. You should be prepared to provide the court with evidence of the misbehavior.

What happens if a property is foreclosed and you have a life estate?

That depends on whether you consented to the mortgage. If you signed the mortgage you transferred your life estate to the bank during the period the mortgage was unpaid. If the mortgage went into default the bank can take possession of the property and wipe out your life estate.

If you did not sign the mortgage the bank would take possession of the property subject to your life estate and your right to the use and possession of the property would continue.

Does a step granchild have rights under a Will of their step grandparent?

They have rights if the step grandparent left a specific gift in their Will. However, if not mentioned in a Will they have no legal rights in a step grandparent's estate.

Can your heirs avoid probate if you put another person on your checking or brokerage account?

Yes. Probate may be avoided as to the accounts in question by putting another person on the account. Other assets, such as real estate, may go to probate however. This answer applies only to the accounts mentioned.

I caution you not to do this, however. If you put another person on your account, they become a joint owner. This means they can access your property. Worse yet, their creditors can access your property if they get into financial difficulty or get divorced. Your account could be at risk.

It is better to set up a pay on death account or otherwise name a beneficiary for the account to take place upon your death. While this is better than a joint account, there are still potential problems. What if your named beneficiary dies before you? Your account will be back in probate. As account values rise and fall, you may end up with a smaller gift to the beneficiary than you wished.

Without knowing the value of the accounts in question and whether or not there are other assets to consider, it is difficult to give specific personal advice. For specific advice, you should consult a local licensed attorney. My usual recommendation is to set up a revocable living trust in order to avoid probate, however if the estate is small, that may not be needed.

Can a life estate be undone?

The only way for a life estate to be "undone" is for the life tenant to sign a deed releasing their rights in the property to the fee owners. The deed must be recorded in the land records. Otherwise, the life estate will not be extinguished until the death of the life tenant.

The only way for a life estate to be "undone" is for the life tenant to sign a deed releasing their rights in the property to the fee owners. The deed must be recorded in the land records. Otherwise, the life estate will not be extinguished until the death of the life tenant.

The only way for a life estate to be "undone" is for the life tenant to sign a deed releasing their rights in the property to the fee owners. The deed must be recorded in the land records. Otherwise, the life estate will not be extinguished until the death of the life tenant.

The only way for a life estate to be "undone" is for the life tenant to sign a deed releasing their rights in the property to the fee owners. The deed must be recorded in the land records. Otherwise, the life estate will not be extinguished until the death of the life tenant.

How can I find out if I was named in my grandmother's will if I am estranged from the executor?

If you live nearby, you can visit the probate court where the will is filed and obtain a copy. Once a will has been filed it becomes a public record. If not, you can contact the court to determine how to obtain a copy by mail. Most courts are very helpful with requests for copies. You can find the court by doing an online search using the county, state and add "probate court".

Is there a difference between a will being admitted to probate court and a will being probated for instance you went with your brother to probate court but it was decided not to probate it?

Clarification is required as to why the will was not admitted to Probate. Was this because of a dispute between you and your brother or because the estate was so small that the court deemed it unnecessary.

Answer

There is no difference between a "will being admitted to probate court" and a "will being probated". A will admitted to probate court is being probated.

However, as stated above, the will in your case was not admitted to probate court and so is not being probated. We cannot know the reason without more details. Your brother may have found it didn't require probate if the decedent didn't own property or he may have been put off by the cost of the filing. You need to ask him.

Can a co executor of an estate make the other co executor turn over a benefit check to the estate?

Yes. The "other co-executor" has no reason nor right to withhold the check from being included in the estate unless it was payable upon death to another individual who is named on the check.

Yes. The "other co-executor" has no reason nor right to withhold the check from being included in the estate unless it was payable upon death to another individual who is named on the check.

Yes. The "other co-executor" has no reason nor right to withhold the check from being included in the estate unless it was payable upon death to another individual who is named on the check.

Yes. The "other co-executor" has no reason nor right to withhold the check from being included in the estate unless it was payable upon death to another individual who is named on the check.

How can you prove your deceased father an alcoholic diagnosed with cancer did not have the presence of mind to make a will?

You could start by speaking to his doctor to see if the doctor could write an affidavit stating his opinion of your father's legal capacity at the time he wrote the will. You could speak to friends, family members and neighbors to see if anyone believes and is willing to testify in court that your father no longer had an intellectual grasp on what he owned, what would happen to his property when he died and if he could easily identify his children. See the link provided below.

How do you acquire unclaimed property of a deceased family member?

In order to "claim" any property of a person who is deceased you would need to have legal standing under the laws of intestacy of the state where the decedent lived. You can check your status at the related question below. Check at the county courthouse probate court to see if anyone probated the estate of the decedent. If there is a file, get the name and address of the estate executor and inform the executor about this matter. If there is no file, then if you are a closely related family member you can open up probate and then receive a document called letters testamentary which you will present to the unclaimed property office to claim the funds. See my bio if you need further assistance.

If a beneficiary other than the executor's starts going through the deceased person's mail and throws out what they feel is not important can the executor state that task is their responsiblility?

The executor of an estate has the authority to oversee all of the deceased personal and financial matters, including correspondence. It is illegal for anyone other than the addressee or someone appointed to oversee the addressee's affairs to open said person's mail. The person(s) engaging in such an act should be informed they are violating the regulations of the probate court and the U.S. Postal Service.

What can you do if executor or lawyer will not return your calls about payout date?

Legally nothing, assets of a deceased's estate cannot be distributed to heirs until probate procedures are finalized. The executor/attorney has no obligation to kee beneficiaries informed of the proceedings unless they are needed to corroborate information (such as a deposition) or when probate is concluded and remaining assets can be distributed as pursuant to the instructions of the will. If the person died intestate, the state probate laws are followed in partitioning off remaining assets after all debts, taxes, legal fees and so forth have been paid.

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