12-8-2001
DEAR CHATTY:
Yes, you DO need an attorney (preferably a probate attorney) to represent you now. The executor will find it a bit more difficult not to respond to someone who he knows is capable of double-checking or being able to intelligently respond to any lies or explanations he may come up with.
There is NO EXCUSE for this executor not to let you know what is going on with the estate, especially you are the major beneficiary! His behavior is very suspicious, and you need to have the estate financial information reviewed by the attorney and/or an accountant to make sure all his transactions are done correctly. I suspect that he may be trying to steal from the estate but I don't want to make any unfounded accusations until he has had a chance to explain himself.
He should at least be able to describe what he has done so far, up to this date, and give a reasonable explanation of the reason for the delay, and if necessary, provide backup documentation as proof of his explanations. If he stalls very much longer, you may need to report his behavior to the probate court and possibly consider having him replaced if he is not doing the job in a timely fashion.
SINCERELY,
[email protected]
