Money after death...?

Question

Please...only if you really can answer this question.
A friend of mines family member died and left this person in there will. They are being secretive about what was left to them. My question is, is there a way I can find out what was left to this individual. If not is there a legal way?

Answer 1

Yes, as was previously stated, a will is a public record. You do not need to have an interest in the estate in order to read it or even get a copy of it.

People read others wills for various reasons. Sometimes they read them because they are curious. Sometimes people read wills because they are doing genealogy work. Sometimes they read them because they are professional title searchers working for a title and abstracting company and need information for a title search.

If you know the county where the will was probated, go to the courthouse and find the Register of Wills Office [it may be part of the Clerk of the Court's Office or Clerk of the Orphans' Court or Clerk of the Surrogate Court]. They have indexes either in bound volumes or on computer listing the names of the decedent. You are free to look up that information. If you have trouble, ask one of the employees to help you. You may be given a referene to a Will Book and Page, which will lead you to a document, or you may be given a reference to a file number. Ask for help.

In some counties, the will may be "imaged" and you might be able to read it on a computer screen rather than having to hunt for a book.

Answer 2

You can't get the money someone left you unless and until you probate the will. Once the will is probated, it's in the court files. Go to the probate court in the county where the decedent lived and ask for the file. The clerk will help you. Then you can read the will.

Answer 3

Death Record Search Database : http://DeathRecordInfo.com/Help

Answer 4

Do you really have a NEED to know OR the RIGHT to know?