Q: Can my estranged parents steal from money left to me from my grandfather if I'm an adult?
My grandfather left my brother and I legacies so that we can attend/complete college. He also left us some money in his will. He recently died and we are concerned that our parents, who we are not close with, may try to steal that money. Can they legally access this since we are legal adults? Are there any provisions that would allow them to? We should be able to see the will within the next day or two. Is there any language that he could have used that they could twist for their own benefit?
-Our parents apparently met with lawyers right after his death, something we didn't even know about until days later
-Our grandmother is dead
-Our grandparents hated my father, had a distant relationship with my mother, and barely knew my brother and I-which is why we were surprised to receive anything, let alone enough funding for school
A: There is no way to answer your question without seeing the relevant documents. My standard advice is hire a probate attorney to petition the court to appoint you as executor. That will smoke out the will. Or not. Your parents might try to "disappear" the will because that is better for them. In that case you need to find the attorney who created it to testify as to its existence.
A: sorry no way to answer your questions without seeing the Will. If you think your grandfather may have left you some assets hire a probate attorney that can help you verify if there is a will or if an estate has been opened and whether or not you might be a beneficiary
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
