What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? FL (but estate pertains to NY). I've been looking through the forums hoping I'd see a similar question but if so I missed it. My mother died in Jan 05, shortly after which time I signed the ppw for my stepfather to be the exector of the estate because she died without a will. Being down here I assumed it was a logical choice rather than consider arguing the point despite no real love-loss between us. To my knowledge,back then, the "estate" was the house I grew up in which he and my estranged brother still live in now(my stepfather only moved in when they married in 93, irrelevant, but worth mentioning). Only 2 months ago I decided it'd been quite a while(over 3 yrs) and figured maybe things shouldn't take quite that long to settle(before then I never pushed, mainly let it be). I sent a quick note to both him and the lawyer handling the probate to mention I'd moved a few miles since Mom died and gave my new address "should you need to contact me" I mainly wanted to leave no excuse for anyone to say "we tried to find you, sorry we left you out".
I did just 3 weeks ago get an "Informal Estate Accounting" and "Acknowledgment of Distribution and Release Letter" by overnight mail. I was somewhat pleasantly surprised to see Mom had a little bit of stock options and I could expect a check for about $30,000 or so once all 'executed releases' were received. I'd spoken to the lawyer when I got the forms just to clarify some points on it for my own piece of mind-I wanted to be sure I wasn't signing any rights to the house away- and she alleviated some fears I had of both my brother and stepfather making things difficult for me(they are both a bit pissed at me when Mom put her 401(k) in mine and my kids names only). But my next question is-and I was hoping for a answer from someone my stepfather isn't paying, as nice as the lawyer seemed-should my brother, or even my stepfather(who isn't hurting for money, like I slightly am) be spiteful enough to not return the Release Letters in any sort of reasonable amount of time, do I have any recourse but to sit and wait? I signed and returned it 2 days later. I followed up a week later and the lawyer mention she is still trying to get a hold of my brother. So for all I know he is crazy enough to wait on getting his portion of that money if it meant it would hurt me.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
I did just 3 weeks ago get an "Informal Estate Accounting" and "Acknowledgment of Distribution and Release Letter" by overnight mail. I was somewhat pleasantly surprised to see Mom had a little bit of stock options and I could expect a check for about $30,000 or so once all 'executed releases' were received. I'd spoken to the lawyer when I got the forms just to clarify some points on it for my own piece of mind-I wanted to be sure I wasn't signing any rights to the house away- and she alleviated some fears I had of both my brother and stepfather making things difficult for me(they are both a bit pissed at me when Mom put her 401(k) in mine and my kids names only). But my next question is-and I was hoping for a answer from someone my stepfather isn't paying, as nice as the lawyer seemed-should my brother, or even my stepfather(who isn't hurting for money, like I slightly am) be spiteful enough to not return the Release Letters in any sort of reasonable amount of time, do I have any recourse but to sit and wait? I signed and returned it 2 days later. I followed up a week later and the lawyer mention she is still trying to get a hold of my brother. So for all I know he is crazy enough to wait on getting his portion of that money if it meant it would hurt me.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?