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Small estate recovery

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psfla

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida

My wife passed away awhile ago, and she left a small amount of money in a bank account (less than $1,000). I understand that this could be collected by filing an affadavit for collection of personal property, along with the death certificate to prove that I was her spouse. That is simple enough.

The complication is that she lived and died in Florida, and the money was in a bank, in Michigan. I have read various things about this but have yet to find a bottom-line answer, but the question is also simple. Do I have the affadavit filed and notarized in Florida, or should it be done in Michigan?

Thank you for any help in this matter.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
 


Dandy Don

Senior Member
How long ago did she die? And how did you find out about this money? Have you talked to the bank about this matter? Did she have a last will and testament that was probated in either state?
 

psfla

Junior Member
Answer to above questions

1. There was no will probated in either state. (There was only jointly held property and very little else that would necessitate probate.)
2. she died about 4 years ago.
3. I knew about the bank account when she died--she had talked to me about it when she was hospitalized. There was a lot of confusion in the aftermath and I had little spirit to nail down all loose ends at the time, but I was told by a clerk at the bank, that she would have had to have an estate for this to be recovered. Because I had other things to worry about at the time, I never checked this out. And I now believe that this was inaccurate information, considering the small amount of money involved.

--hope that fills it all in.
 

Dandy Don

Senior Member
You would file it at the county of the state where she died and presumably the Michigan bank will honor the documents when you present them and will then issue a check.

If you had waited one more year the bank would have had to turn this money over to the Michigan Department of Unclaimed Property Treasury for you to claim there.
 

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