My state is Massachusetts:
I am a resident of Texas, and have a question about claiming Unclaimed Property of my Grandfather's that the State of Massachusetts Treasurer is holding.
The property is a bank account balance of $2,400 that was reported and turned over to the treasurer in 2004. My grandfather died in 1957 as an intestate, and I expect his estate has gone thru Probate and was closed. Neither his wife, nor his immediate chlidren are alive, and only his daughter, my Mother, had children.
The State of Massachusetts is asking that I establish a Voluntary Administration on my Grandfather's estate, and to be appointed as the voluntary administrator by the Worcester Probate Court in order to claim this $2,400. As I see it, this is the opening of a formal estate with numerous reports and accountings to be made to the Probate Court, documenting where the asset came from, how much it was and where it went. Reports that cost $150 each to file. And since I'm a non-resident of Massachusetts, I would have to hire a lawyer to handle the court proceeding for me as a cost of approximately $4,000-$6,000 in legal fees. This seems like an excessive requirement to impose on me to be able to claim an asset that legally vested in me at the time of my Mother's death in 2001.
Anyone have any comments, or suggestions, that would help to clarify this problem? and maybe suggestions on how to solve my delemma? An affidavit of some sort?
Thanks in advance...
I am a resident of Texas, and have a question about claiming Unclaimed Property of my Grandfather's that the State of Massachusetts Treasurer is holding.
The property is a bank account balance of $2,400 that was reported and turned over to the treasurer in 2004. My grandfather died in 1957 as an intestate, and I expect his estate has gone thru Probate and was closed. Neither his wife, nor his immediate chlidren are alive, and only his daughter, my Mother, had children.
The State of Massachusetts is asking that I establish a Voluntary Administration on my Grandfather's estate, and to be appointed as the voluntary administrator by the Worcester Probate Court in order to claim this $2,400. As I see it, this is the opening of a formal estate with numerous reports and accountings to be made to the Probate Court, documenting where the asset came from, how much it was and where it went. Reports that cost $150 each to file. And since I'm a non-resident of Massachusetts, I would have to hire a lawyer to handle the court proceeding for me as a cost of approximately $4,000-$6,000 in legal fees. This seems like an excessive requirement to impose on me to be able to claim an asset that legally vested in me at the time of my Mother's death in 2001.
Anyone have any comments, or suggestions, that would help to clarify this problem? and maybe suggestions on how to solve my delemma? An affidavit of some sort?
Thanks in advance...
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