Children of deceased

[Musikate]

What is the name of your state? PA

I’m wondering if it’s customary to have a decedent’s adult children present during a reading of his will. When my father died in 2015, I was never told a word about it. Is that normal?

 

[Zigner]

"Reading of the will" is very rare. It's simply a plot device in movies and books. You should have been advised and had the opportunity to get a copy of the will at the time.

 

[cbg]

"The reading of the will" is a left over from old British movies and rarely happens at all in real life.

 

[Musikate]

"Reading of the will" is very rare. It's simply a plot device in movies and books. You should have been advised and had the opportunity to get a copy of the will at the time.

I understand that, but I would have assumed that I would see a copy.

 

[cbg]

Did you ask? Do you know for certain that he had one?

 

[Zigner]

I understand that, but I would have assumed that I would see a copy.

Did you ask?

 

[adjusterjack]

If there was one and probate was in progress you could have gotten a copy from the court.

 

[t74]

Is the estate open or closed? Googling "close estate PA" provides a number of links to procedure for doing so,

 

[Dandy Don]

Maybe your father didn't have a will and that is why you were told nothing, or if he had one, perhaps you were not named as a beneficiary in it.
Check at the county courthouse probate court (many probate courts have records online now, and you can do a check by using his name. If he had a probate file, you can go to the courthouse to look at it. If he did have one, the executor should have notified you by mail about it.

Why would you think it unusual to have the decedent's adult children there are the reading of the will? They probably were beneficiaries and wanted to find out what they will be getting and they had a general interest in wanting to find out what the will says.