My uncle died last night he wasnt married nor does he have any kids, how do i find out if he has a will?

Question

The family lives in Texas but he was living in Idaho for some time now like 20 years. He was about 45 and today we got a phone call saying they found his body outside a motel room. He was a loner, never gave anybody his phone number and only came down to see the family on Christmas. He doesnt have any kids and he wasnt married. We dont even know what he was doing at the motel he was at. Now my Grandpa is In Idaho taking care of the body part of it. But my grandpa is 76 years old and really doesnt have much money to bring his body down here etc...... I know my Uncle had a good jhe used to brag and showed me his check stub 10 years ago he was making 21 hr.)and just reitred 6 months ago. How would i find out if he has any burial insurance, will....My grandfather wants to cremate him but i disagree but i feel like since im just a neice and i dont have any money that i have no say-so,.....Im lost please help....My grandpa (uncles father) had'nt been there for my uncle. In fact my Uncle cont

Was closer to my Mother and he was planning on moving over here with my mom since he retired. Then my mom didnt hear from him for about 3 montsh until this. Me and my Mom are supposed to be going to Idaho but i dont even know where to start. I want to know what happened to him, did he fall down the Motel stairs, does he have a will......what Motel exactly was he at?? How can i find out anyone know, and do i have a right to these answers being a neice?

How will the attorney know he died if noone knows who his attorney is?

i think we should all make wills because we never know and your right it would save alot of stress because truthfully we dont even know where he wanted to be buried..or how...

Answer 1

You should check your uncle's personal papers and canceled checks for the past few years. You may find a check made out to a lawyer. (You may even find a will.) If your uncle lived in a small town you can send a circular letter to every lawyer in the yellow pages.

The check stubs or canceled checks should also show any insurance premiums paid. Once someone is appointed administrator (if you don't find a will; if you do it's an "executor") file a change of address with the post office for a year -- that way any premium notices or dividend checks will alert you to missing insurance policies and securities.

Check with your uncle's employer to see if there was any group insurance. (I once had a client whose mother had died after being laid off following a plant closure. It turned out that she'd had group insurance, and that she'd died during a period covered by (1) her accrued vacation time and (2) state law concerning her right to convert to an individual policy. So after argument the insurance company paid a few thousand dollars.)

Look over your uncle's telephone bills. You can reverse-search phone numbers on such Web sites as http://www.whitepages.com to find out whom it belongs to. You never know. You might even find out why he was at that motel.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Usually when people make a will they leave it with their attorney or their bank. Or they might keep it at home in a safe.

If you don't find it anywhere, contact any friends or acquaintances. If you draw a blank on these investigations, chances are he died without a will. The local authorities will then appoint someone to handle the estate. They will make further searches. Once they have exhausted all the possibilities the estate will go to the next of kin.

If you do find a will, you also need to be satisfied there were no later wills or amendments.

That is why it takes so long to settle estates where the deceased did not leave clear directions with an independent person.

However old you are you should always make a will. Save your family a whole lot of stress when you're gone.

Answer 3

If he had a will then he hopefully stored a copy of his will in his personal files at home. If he has an attorney (if he had an attonrey draw one up for him) his attorney will have a copy. If you are named in the will you will be notified. If he has any real property (such as land, car) and he owes money, his estate will pay off any of his debts. If he worked at a job for a long time he most likely has a retimrement fund which will could be used for his burial. If he was low on funds and didn't leave much in a bank account, the best thing to do is to have the cheapest burial possible which may be creamtion. If he had wanted his death and burial to proceed a certain way he would have specified it to someone. Check around his house for a letter instructing family members as to what his wishes were for his burial. As long as the letter is signed and dated it serves as a legal document. Good luck.

Answer 4

He could have a will hidden anywhere. You would have to look at bank statements and see if there is a Safe Deposit box any attorneys he has dealings with, look(search) around the house etc.
There are many insurance , bank accounts , burial plots etc. that are unclaimed for just such reasons.

Answer 5

Wow! Tough one. Don't assume he doesn't have a will, you, or your family may be contacted soon by a laywer, contracted to settle his estate. If he infact doesn't have a will drawn up, well, I'm sorry to say, the gov't will take a rather large chunk. My sincerest condolences.

Answer 6

check with the state attorney, they have a way to find out.

Answer 7

You need to talk to someone in a law office -- doesn't have to be a lawyer,

Answer 8

I would start by contacting the police where he died.

Answer 9

If he has a will then the Atty who wrote it up will contact you.