What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? GA
My ex-husband died recently. I am the mother of his only children; one is over 18 and one is not yet 18, but soon will be. Within the past 3 years he remarried and apparently changed his beneficiary for his life insurance and pension from his children to his current wife. The kids are in total shock. He also had fairly substantial real estate and so far we don't know if he had a will. I have been calling and leaving messages with the new wife but she will not return my phone calls. Doesn't she have to communicate with me as the guardian of one of his heirs? The kids and I are in the process of getting an attorney to help with probate, but knowing whether or not he had a will would certainly simplify things; if he left them nothing then there is no reason to go to the expense of an attorney. A related issue is there is some urgency because the child that is under 18 will soon turn 18, and if we are going to petition the court for a year's support we have to do it before the child is 18 and shut out completely. Thanks for the advice
My ex-husband died recently. I am the mother of his only children; one is over 18 and one is not yet 18, but soon will be. Within the past 3 years he remarried and apparently changed his beneficiary for his life insurance and pension from his children to his current wife. The kids are in total shock. He also had fairly substantial real estate and so far we don't know if he had a will. I have been calling and leaving messages with the new wife but she will not return my phone calls. Doesn't she have to communicate with me as the guardian of one of his heirs? The kids and I are in the process of getting an attorney to help with probate, but knowing whether or not he had a will would certainly simplify things; if he left them nothing then there is no reason to go to the expense of an attorney. A related issue is there is some urgency because the child that is under 18 will soon turn 18, and if we are going to petition the court for a year's support we have to do it before the child is 18 and shut out completely. Thanks for the advice