Are we entitled to estate?

[lostgrandchild]

What is the name of your state? New York

Hello, I hope this is the right place to post this.

This is a long and complicated situation, I will try to get to the main points.

My grandmother and grandfather were married in wisconsin in the 1940's. My grandfather left my pregnant (with my father) grandmother to go look for work, never to return. My grandmother never heard from him, assuming he was dead, so she remarried. My grandfather also remarried, claiming to not be able to contact my GM for a divorce, even though she never left the town she lived in her entire life. My GF was from NY state and went back to NY state and remarried, illegally, to a different woman, with whom he had 5 more children. He was never legally married to this woman, who passed away 15 years ago, because he was still legally married to my GM. He then remarried, for the third time, illegally. My father was left fatherless with no source of paternal or financial support, which trickled down to my brother and I, his 2 sons.

After doing some internet research back in college, I learned that my GF was still alive. My GM found out about this and tried to see what the hell was going on. I am not sure what all happened next but eventually a lawyer in wisconsin was contacted by my GM, and my GF placed a classified ad in the local newspaper saying he had been searching for her to try to get the divorce, which wasnt really true but we assume he was advised to do this for the sake of his current illegal wife.

My GF passed away last year and my GM was awarded the social security. The lawyer in wisconsin said that there were issues between the states of NY and WI which would prevent her from gaining any other property. My GM and my father passed away this year, leaving my brother and I the only legal heirs to my grandfather. We know that the lawyer in NY state, whom my GM's attorney in WI contacted to try to resolve the situation, was a friend of my GF's current illegal wife, and tipped her to the fact that she was married illegally so that she could hide assets.

I now live in NY state which would mean that I could file something as a NY state resident, I believe. What, if any, claim to my GF's estate might my brother and myself have? What is our next course of action? we are already looking for attorney, but where and under what course of action is what we need to know?
Thank you very much...What is the name of your state?

[LdiJ]

While your grandfather might have been illegally married to his wife, its likely that her name was still on the house, cars, bank accounts etc., which means that all that would have passed outside his estate and would have become her sole property.

Its also likely that she was the beneficiary of his life insurance and/or any retirement funds that he might have had.

Had he had any separate property, that would become part of his estate, if he left a will it would be divided according to the will. If he left no will, it would be divided between all of his children, illegitimate or not.

Unless he was a very rich man, you are probably spinning your wheels with this one.