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Questions Answered by Nina Whitehurst
1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for New York on
Q: My best friend just died and didn't leave a will. He was estranged from daughter who he didn't want to have his things.

His daughter has already taking things from his house and said because they didn't talk for 5 years or more she said she is taking all his things to sell or bring to Florida. This includes his motorcycle he was leaving for his grandson. How do I stop this from happening

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answered on Jan 3, 2023

That is a real bummer, but when someone dies without a will, then state law determines who inherits. If your friend died unmarried but with one or more living children, typically the children inherit. Even though the daughter might not be strictly following the proper legal process, chances are... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Family Law and Real Estate Law for Tennessee on
Q: In Tennessee, what does it mean for the survivor if the deed shows "tenants in common with the right of survivorship"?

This is for an unmarried couple who own a home together. Will the heirs of the deceased have any rights to the home?

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answered on Jan 1, 2023

It means that if one of the tenants in common passes, the surviving tenant in common will become the sole owner of the home by operation of the survivorship interest without having to go through probate or any other kind of legal process. The heirs of the deceased would have no claim to the home.... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Probate for California on
Q: I have a home insurance check made to my late father.my bank and agent say out of their hands how do I transfer property

Home insurance check made to my late father. He passed while in process of claim. I already paid deposit for fix of home and waiting for this check. Went and had small affidavits filled out but bank is indicating it’s insurance problem and when sent to insurance they say check is issued it’s... View More

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answered on Dec 28, 2022

If you have presented a proper small estate affidavit to the insurance company and you have returned the check to them with the small estate affidavit, the insurance company is obligated to replace the check with a new one made payable to the person who is entitled to the funds according to the... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Georgia on
Q: Can I find out what the executor has spent of my will
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answered on Dec 14, 2022

Yes you are entitled to that information. Look in the probate court files for interim and final accountings. If there are none, hire an attorney to help you remove and replace the executor.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Oklahoma on
Q: IF THE FAMILY TRUST TRUSTEE GIVES FAMILY MEMBER DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY CAN THEY SELL PROPERTY

THE REASON IS BECAUSE TRUSTEE WILL BE IN PRISON FOR NEXT 25 YEARS, AND FAMILY MEMBER IS TRYING TO WHATS BEST FOR ALL BY SELLING PROPERTY BEFOR HOUSE IS SOLD FOR BACK TAXES SO FAMILY CAN PAY TAXES AND SPLIT WHAT IS LEFT AFTER .

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answered on Dec 14, 2022

POA from trustee will not work because fiduciary duties are not delegable. Look at the trust instrument for provisions will respect to removal of incapacitated trustees, trustee resignation, trustee succession, and appointment of successor trustees. If that doesn’t work then you might have to go... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Probate for Colorado on
Q: Legally is the executor of an estate able to distribute funds to an incarcerated person's Power of attorney?

I am the executor of the my father's estate. My brother is incarcerated and would like me to give his inheritance money to his Power of attorney, who is a friend and business partner. Is this legal or should I put it in a trust or account until he is released? Also, if this is permitted,... View More

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answered on Dec 4, 2022

A power of attorney is a document, a stack of papers, so, no, you would never want to distribute to a power of attorney because that is not a natural person or entity; it is not capable of receiving an inheritance. If you mean the person designated in the power of attorney, usually called an agent... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for Montana on
Q: who becomes executor of a trust if executor dies before children reach age to control it?

My ex has terminal cancer her elderly parents are executors, kids wont be of age for 9 years. (age 25)

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answered on Nov 28, 2022

Trusts do not have executors, so you probably meant to ask who will be the successor trustee if the named trustee has passed. The answer is whomever is named as the successor trustee in the trust instrument. If no successor is named, then a petition will need to be filed with the court to have... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Elder Law for Ohio on
Q: mothers will was changed 2 months after my stroke and she died just 10 months later she was vulnerable at the time ?

She had no transport/way to get food etc. as I was not able at the time to do for her-I feel he took advantage and he had unreal financial debt at the time. what can I do? My younger brother did this to her

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answered on Nov 28, 2022

You can hire an attorney to contest the will on the basis of lack of capacity or undue influence or both. Do not delay because there are deadlines for will contests. If you miss a deadline you will lose your right to ever contest the will.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for Washington on
Q: can a beneficiary be removed from a will by a codicil or does the will need to be rewritten?
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answered on Nov 17, 2022

Either a new will or a codicil will work. Conventional wisdom is a new will is better so that the codicil can't be separated from it and "disappeared" and for other reasons. Remember to destroy the old will and all copies of it after the new will is done, and also remember to... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning for Kentucky on
Q: After my husband's passing 10 years ago do I have to leave them anything in my will at my passing they never visit call

Or anything unless to start drama. They say I have to have my home sold and divided equally with them as he and I had 8 children we adopted plus 3 of ours together I have paid every payment tax and insurance on the house the last 10 years. Alone and still owe 8 more years on it

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answered on Nov 15, 2022

As a general rule, you do not have to leave anything to anybody in your will if you don't want to, unless you have entered into some kind of contract that says otherwise (some people do). But that is not the end of the inquiry. The question is whether you own the house 100% solely in your... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Probate and Real Estate Law for Texas on
Q: My mother and brother are both disabled and live together in Texas. Mother is very I'll and we are trying to plan

There is a mortgage on the home and both are on it but my mother wants to leave her half of the interest and equity to me. Is this possible with a mortgage debt still on the home?

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answered on Nov 7, 2022

Yes, your mother can leave her half to you even if the home has a mortgage on it. If she does that, then after she passes you and your brother will need to keep making the mortgage payments on the house lest the bank foreclose. In the end, you and your brother will probably end up selling the... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for New York on
Q: Should I sign a receipt and release form before receiving my inheritance?
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answered on Nov 2, 2022

You will receive your inheritance a lot faster if you do and the estate will incur less expense if you do, which translates into more inheritance for you. If you have no reason to suspect wrongdoing on the part of the executor, then I would normally say yes. But if you suspect wrongdoing, then... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for Tennessee on
Q: how to transfer MI formed trust to Tenn
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answered on Oct 28, 2022

This can be accomplished by either amending or restating the trust, with restatement being more common for other reasons.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Oklahoma on
Q: Bank of America won't accept Holographic will. It is entirely handwritten, dated and signed by the deceased.

Bank account is well under $50,000. How can the bank refuse to accept the will and give me the bank account? I am the only person listed in his will to inherit everything he owned. I am/was a close friend for 30 years. We were never married and never had any children together or owned anything... View More

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answered on Oct 21, 2022

The bank does not have to accept any will, handwritten or notarized or witnessed or whatever. It is the probate court that decides if a will is valid. You probably need to hire a probate attorney to help you with this. If the estate truly is small, a probate attorney can help you prepare a small... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Real Estate Law and Probate for Tennessee on
Q: In a valid 'Last Will & Testament' w/ a 'real property' that has a direct beneficiary listed, can this by-pass Probate ?

In a valid 'Last Will and Testament' there is two real properties listed to be be inherited each by name as a direct

beneficiaries to each respective property, does this still have to go thru Probate Court since the valid will clearly list each 'real property' with a... View More

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answered on May 16, 2024

The only answers that can be given to your questions are "maybe" and "sort of". There is no avoiding probate court when the decedent had a will that devised real property. The only question is which kind of probate. It might be a very simple court process or it might be a... View More

3 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning, Real Estate Law and International Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: My grandfather passed away (resident of California) but had a property in France.

Two years before he passed, he and my grandmother filed wills in France giving each portion of the apartment to me (apartment). How does this get handled in the US and in France?

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answered on May 5, 2024

You are going to need two probate attorneys, one in California for the US-based properties and one in France for the apartment in France.

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Family Law for New Jersey on
Q: My mother 71 is in ill health with a slew of mental health and medical problems. My father 76 is her caregiver.

She is acting crazy yelling out the window, sitting on neighbors porches, leaves her front door wide open and yells at people who park in front of her house. She has been hospitalized many times has spent time at behavioral health facilities. She just keeps getting released to

Home. She... View More

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answered on Apr 20, 2024

Look for an attorney to help you file a petition for guardianship or conservatorship.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Tennessee on
Q: My mother died in Tennessee. She had an Edward Jones account with my sister, myself and my brother named as beneficiary.

There wasn't any percentages given as to the division of account. Who is entitled to the money in the account?

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answered on Apr 12, 2024

A beneficiary designation like the one you described is usually interpreted as meaning equal shares.

2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning, Real Estate Law and Probate for Tennessee on
Q: My husband passed away in January and his mother went and took all his belongings out of our cabin. A crime??

Me and our children are the heirs. What can I do she won't speak with me.

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answered on Apr 10, 2024

Hire a probate attorney. Get yourself appointed as executor or personal representative. Then as executor or PR sue her for the return of items stolen from the estate.

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1 Answer | Asked in Probate for Tennessee on
Q: In Tennessee, can I appoint a person who does not have a SSN to act as Executor of my Will?
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answered on Mar 16, 2024

I hesitate to recommend doing that, because it will make it extremely difficult for the executor to obtain a federal taxpayer ID number for the estate, which is an essential prerequisite to opening an estate bank account.

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