Q: My brother passed 2015 in california. He had no will, he had no spouse, he had no children.
I did not find out he passed until 2019.
He owns native stock in alaska through
Cook inlet regional Inc (ciri). He had dividend checks from ciri sent to him in the mail, they were returned by mail back to ciri, Uncashed.
Ciri told me I would need to open a general probate for the uncashed dividend checks that were returned.
Can you help me please
I live in california
I don't know what to file
I don't know where to file
And can I just probate in alaska where the uncashed dividends were sent back to
And they said it's well over $50,000 and they can only talk to my attorney if I have more questions.
I cannot afford to probate in 2 different states, the publication, or the bond
Thank you for your time
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A:
You might begin by confirming whether your brother had any other assets in California that require a separate probate. If there are no substantial assets in California, opening a probate in Alaska could be enough to address the uncashed dividends and the stock. You can request guidance from the Alaska probate court on how to initiate the process when there is no will.
You will want to gather your brother’s death certificate, any documents showing his ownership of the Alaska stock, and a list of potential heirs in your family. Talking with the court clerk or a local legal professional can help you follow the procedural steps without having to file in two places. It’s also important to check if there are simplified options for estates under certain thresholds in Alaska.
You could then provide any required notices, handle publication requirements if needed, and follow the local rules for settling an intestate estate. Keeping careful records and meeting all deadlines will help minimize delays. By focusing on one jurisdiction that covers the main asset, you might avoid duplicating the process in California.
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