www.unclaimed.org is the website of the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. This is a legitimate site created by state officials to help people search for funds that may belong to you or your relatives. Searches are free.
Whether it's real estate, personal property, bank accounts, or valuable possessions, an itemized inventory of the estate is typically required. This inventory becomes part of the public record, and anyone with interest in the estate can access this information.
The timeline is much shorter. California laws, for example, require that beneficiaries are notified within 60 days of the death.
An heir can claim their inheritance anywhere from six months to three years after a decedent passes away, depending on where they live. Every state and county jurisdiction sets different rules about an heir's ability to claim their inheritance.
An Executor's Disclosure Responsibilities
The executor's first duty to beneficiaries of the will is to identify, locate, and contact them to advise them of their status as beneficiaries. This should be done in writing. A beneficiary of the will has the right to a copy of the will, which the executor should provide.
The best place to begin your search is www.Unclaimed.org, the website of the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA). This free website contains information about unclaimed property held by each state. You can search every state where your loved one lived or worked to see if anything shows up.
Typically it will take around 6 to 12 months for beneficiaries to start receiving their inheritance, but this varies depending on the complexity of the estate and possible delays at the Probate Registry, which have been widely reported in the media.
Californian law prohibits hiding or withholding a will without lawful excuse. According to California Probate Code Section 8250(a), any person found guilty of intentionally hiding or omitting a will without legal justification is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Online platforms that allow access to wills and probate records include probate court websites, public records repositories, and genealogy sites like Ancestry.com. Some sites, like FamilySearch, provide free access, while others might require fees or offer trial periods.
Beneficiary Rights and Accounting
According to California Probate Code section 10950, if more than a year has passed since the beginning of probate administration and an accounting has not been filed, interested parties are entitled to file a petition with the court to make the executor to complete an accounting.
Check With the County Courthouse
Contact the probate courts of EACH county in which the decedent lived throughout their adult life to ask if they have the will on file—even if it was filed many years ago.
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Consulting with the Executor or Attorney of the Deceased
If you're a potential heir, contacting the executor will provide insight into the estate's financial holdings and ensure you're informed of any assets left for you and on the necessary steps to claim your inheritance.
If you are the designated beneficiary on a deceased person's bank account, you typically can go to the bank immediately following their death to claim the asset. In general, there is no waiting period for beneficiaries to access the money; however, keep in mind that laws can vary by state and by bank.
While executors have discretion in some areas, your core decision-making is bounded by: The deceased's will. You must follow their distribution wishes rather than diverging based on your own judgments.
To receive inheritance money, you must provide documentation to the executor. It may include a copy of the will or trust, a death certificate, and proof of identity. The executor may also require additional documentation, such as a letter from a financial institution or a tax return. Wait for Probate.
In this regard, California Probate Code Section 9050 requires the personal representative or executor to notify heirs and beneficiaries within a specified period. Personal representatives must begin notification within 60 days from their appointment date.
Your first step, if you believe you may have inherited through someone's will or by intestacy, is to examine the records of their probate case, which you can do through the Probate Court of the county in which they lived at the time of their death.