Uncle's Estate

[gdine]

New York. We heard from distant relative that an uncle has passed away. How can we find out how and when this happened. Also, my husband is nephew of uncle (who had no children and was widowed). My husband is related to uncle's wife who was sister to nephew's mother. How can we locate attorney or records to find out when uncle died and how his estate is being probated. As far as we know there are no other relative except nephew and his mother. Please advise

 

[ALawyer]

To see if he died, and when, check with the public records authority in the state and county(ies) in which he lived and died. You also could call the hospitals and funeral homes and appropriate churches / synagogues / mosques.

If you were heirs at law, you could seek to be appointed the administrator of his estate in the probate court of the county in which he resided.

 

[advisor10]

2-7-2002

DEAR GDINE:

Please mention the uncle's name and the city/state where he died. There are many online sources that could be checked to find out the date of his death.

When you say he was "widowed", did you mean that his wife had died before he did?

With very limited surviving kin, the nephew and mother might end up being the valid heirs to this estate. Best method is to talk to whoever in the family (or out of the family) made funeral arrangements. It is possible that no one has begun the process of being administrator of his estate, in which case you can start the process yourself.

Did you even know his address where you could visit the home to see if his personal papers (and will) are there?

SINCERELY,

advisor