how do you find out if someone has left behind money after they have passed away?

Question

my father passed way in dec of 2000...my grandmother gave me a box some of his things and in that box was his wallet...there are many first union cards in there and i was just wondering if there would be a way to get access to his account...i am his only child and im not sure how all that works but i was told that if he had an account open that the money would be froze for up to ten years then the state claims it...any help on this would be great...thankyou

Answer 1

it is usually 7 years before unclaimed funds are turned over to the state Unclaimed Funds department. Before spending money trying to claim any such funds, check with the Unclaimed Funds department of the state the account would be in. Most states have on-line databases that can be searched by name. If you locate funds, you will hove to prove you are the legal heir, but at least you will know there is something to claim. Just enter 'unclaimed funds' and the state name in any search engine.

If you have the name of the institution where you believe he had an account, contact them and they may tell you if he had an account. Be prepared to submit a death certificate just to start the process. They will be able to tell you what other documentation they need. An attorney may be required at some point, but you can save a lot by doing the initial research yourself.

Answer 2

If your father had a will, he named an executor. The court approves the will and executor, and the executor with the proper documents can get information on bank accounts, etc. If you father did not have a will, then the state appoints someone to administer his estate. Only the executor or administrator is allowed access to the information.

Since your father passed away nearly 6.5 years ago, it appears that either you could not be found, or your father has a will that excluded you. There may be another explanation, but someone (your grandmother) must know who handled/administered his estate.

Answer 3

Are you his beneficiary in his will? Unless you are you have no rights to the funds. The only reason I bring this up is because a bank is not legally authorized to give the funds that are in the account to anyone other than the person named in his will, or the probate court. You can call the bank and explain that you think he may have had accounts there and he is now deceased...you can take a copy of his death certificate to them and they would then be able to release the fund to probate. If he has any debts that are pending against his estate these will be paid before funds are released to his rightful airs.

Answer 4

The answer varies from State to State (presuming that you are in the USA). Unfortunately, the best thing to do is hire an estate lawyer. I know you want an answer that does not cost a ton of money up front, but you are asking a difficult question. Try asking again - this time say where he died. You could try asking the question to a clerk of the Probate Court of your jurisdiction (county/parish) - if they are nice, they may actually give you the advice you seek for free. Good luck.