If you are a co-owner of the accounts with a JTWROS (Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorhsip) designation, then those accounts pass directly to you and no probate is required for those accounts.

I'm not entirely clear, without seeing the Judgment, but I tend to think that you are entitled to inherit. Unless you were actually adopted as the legal child of your aunt and uncle, you should still maintain your right to inherit. Often when a parent is unable to handle the... Read more »

Marital debt is apportioned between the parties in nearly all States. If bankruptcy is a serious consideration, it is often an effective strategy for Husband and Wife to file a joint bankruptcy prior to dissolving the marriage. This way they can eliminate most, if not all, of the debt that could... Read more »

You need to contact an attorney and open an Estate for your mother immediatately. As you mother's son, you are entitled to apply for Letters of Administration. The friend has zero rights and should not have access to the house much less giving a car "away" - how is the neighbor... Read more »

If the retirement account and certificate of deposit already have named beneficiar(ies), then it will not be necessary to file a probate proceeding as to those assets. Those assets would "by-pass" Probate - assuming the beneficiary has survived the decedent.

If your wife is an heir, she entitled to see all documents filed with the Court, including the Will (if there was one), and all Inventories of the property. When the Estate is ready for settlement, she is entitled to a copy of the Final Settlement or Statement of Account, which is a full... Read more »

What you describe sounds like a post-filing debt, which would not be discharged in your Chapter 13. I have no doubt that your jurisdiction forbids incurring new debt, (including credit cards) without Court permission. (No Court in my experience would EVER grant permission). I agree with Mr.... Read more »

No, that would be a violation of the debtor's discharge. 11 U.S. Code 524 (a) 2 provides that a Discharge operates as an injunction against the commencement or continuation of an action, employment of process, or an act to collect, recover or offset such debt as a personal liability of the... Read more »

Yes, his new wife is entitled to inherit, unless a will or estate planning devise provides otherwise, despite the short duration of their marriage. SInce you have children, the wife is entitled to one half the intestate estate and his children are entitled to inherit the other half. I assume that... Read more »

The automatic stay in a Bankruptcy only exists while the case is open and the Stay is in effect. If you have been discharged in your Chapter 7 and the case is closed, there remains no protection under the automatic stay. If the creditor applied for, and was granted relief from the automatic stay,... Read more »

There are a lot of issues here. The first thing you need to do is to determine whether or not an estate has been opened in the Probate Court. I am assuming your grandfather was from the Columbia area, which would be Boone County. If there was a Will and it was validly excuted by your... Read more »

Missouri does not recognize Common Law marriage, unless the couple was living in another State where it was lawful. Beyond that, it sounds to me like they WERE married but had separated. If they WERE legally married, separated or not, at the time the decedent died, then the Wife is entitled to... Read more »

For a death certificate contact the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Vital Records, or funeral homes typically assist in obtaining death certificates. You can check Missouri Case.Net online court records to see if a probate case has been opened. If your sister... Read more »

I am licensed only in Missouri and Illinois. Based upon the law in those States, I would say "No." I am not licensed in Texas but, UNLESS your wife is a co-signer, co-apllicant, or guarantor for any of your mother-in-laws debt, I cannot see how your wife would be responsible for her... Read more »

I could be wrong, but it certainly sounds like the Vanguard account was set up to pay on death to the beneficiaries. This would explain why you subsequently received a large payout from Vanguard. It would also explain why a payment might have gone to a bank account and then was removed.... Read more »

This is a tricky issue as the Missouri Department of Social Services has extensiver powers as a "taxing authority" to avoid non-probate transfers where the decedent owed a State debt - typically when the decedent was receiving Medicaid benefits. Due to the sensitive nature, I would not... Read more »

Assuming you are within a year of your mother's death, you will need to open a probate estate. Once the estate is opened, the personal representative of the estate will have the right to retake possession and remove the brother.

Assuming yout home was sold at foreclosure I think that you are out of luck, unless you approach the new owner(s) and you are able to negotiate a deal to buy it back. This is highly unlikely. Sometimes the new owner will allow the prior owner to rent the home. This is still a rarity. If a... Read more »

That depends on what is contained in your Divorce Judgment. She is merely seeking to have her debt associated with the home discharged. There is no other effect whatsoever as to her her rights in the home. Whatever rights she had after the Divorce was granted should be the same after her... Read more »

The Sheriff has most likely not received Notice of your Bankruptcy filinh. Contact your lawyer immediately. Your lawyer can contact the creditor and file a Suggestion of Bankrutpcy in the Court where the Replevin action is pending. This should quickly resolve your issue,