Q: My mother passed in July and I wasn't informed by family members.
I asked for estate planning lawyer and legal records and all I got was a painting dropped off in a war zone. What are my options? She owned assets, including house and car; they kept everything a secret and I'm disabled wit SSDI and constantly threatened by their friends.
A:
If there was a Will, it probably should be submitted to the probate court (you don't mention a Will, or whether the property was in your mom's name alone, or some other way).
If probated, the personal representative named in it would probably be appointed by the Court.
However, you are correct that a court-appointed person would need to file public reports, a preliminary and final tax return, an accounting, etc.
Family fights can be difficult, and pricey.
K, I've "guessed" enough.
Speak to an experienced PA lawyer and tell counsel all you know about these issues.
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