Q: I need help knowing what to do to transfer a car title in a different state after my mother passed.
My mother recently passed. She lived in Louisiana and I live in Texas. I am her only heir and she was not married. She did not have a will and everything was left to me. She has an old car that was last registered in Louisiana that I would like to transfer over to my name in Texas. Her registration is expired in Louisiana and I cannot locate the title. I am having trouble getting ahold of the OMV in either state to help me get this straightened out. What forms, etc. do I need to fill out and which state do I need to file it all in?
A: What you should do depends on how your mother left everything to you. If she named you on a deed which transferred her home on her death and named you as designated beneficiary on any life insurance policy or retirement account and as pay-on-death on any bank and transfer-on-death on any brokerage account, present the death certificate to the LA DMV (where the car was registered) and ask for a form which will transfer title to an heir. If she did not do the above, you will need to file the equivalent of a Texas Small Estate Affidavit in Louisiana. Once the judge approves it, you can take it to the LA DMV to transfer title.
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