It isn't clear who the "she" who said "no" is in the question. Nor is it clear what interest is in the grandparent's estate.

Grandchildren do not automatically inherit unless they are named in the deceased grandparent's will (or sometimes if there is no... View More

That will depend on the terms of the particular trust instrument. If someone is asking to name you as Trustee you may wish to ask what the trust requires of the Trustees.

There are several different ways to include someone on a deed. Some of these ways are smart, with little risk to the original owner while others can create issues and unintended negative effects.

One of the least risky and most cost effective deeds is an enhanced life estate deed. Most... View More

Many parents with a special needs child will create a special needs trust to ensure that funds are available without jeopardizing health care or other benefits. Some will set up life insurance to provide funds but care must be taken when a child requires governmental benefits to avoid... View More

If the person who died owed money, it will be an estate debt whether secured or unsecured. A secured creditors has rights that extend to the collateral regardless of whether they file a claim in the estate.

A well-drafted will should name a back-up if the first named Personal Representative cannot carry out their duties. If the will identifies no back up an interested person can petition the court to fill the vacant role.

Generally the contents of a will are private and need not be disclosed until after someone dies.

The estate assets must be split in accordance with the Will, or if there is no Will, in accordance with the laws of intestate succession. Since the disbursal must be in accordance with the will/law, one heir cannot take all the funds to the exclusion of other persons entitled to the estate. To... View More

It sounds like the bank is suggesting your sister needs to REOPEN the estate (with the courts) and then handle the check.

There MIGHT be a simpler process depending on the size of the check etc, so I'd recommend consulting with a local attorney (the one who helped with the probate the... View More

The city (or county) does not change title, so unless the family opened up an estate the title would remain in the deceased person's name.

Anybody can redeem the property before the tax sale foreclosure case awards judgment to the tax sale purchaser. As you point out, however,... View More

When someone dies without a will, their property passes through the laws of intestate succession. In short, YES, an adult child MAY inherit, though it will depend on what is in the probate estate and how assets are titled. If someone dies owning property in their own name (without a spouse or... View More

If the house was indeed *deeded* to them during the estate administration, there is nothing else to do. To be sure of that, you can run a title search to see if they are "in title." If the transfer was as a matter of law in an intestate estate, I urge you to pay a lawyer to complete the... View More

Yes, but every time I've seen this done by a lay person using some Internet form, they've done it incorrectly, and I quietly hope to get one of the sides of the eventual litigation. It is important to distinguish between beneficiaries and contingent beneficiaries, as well as between per... View More

Sue her and/or the bank.

You've left out important facts, like whether there is a Will; who all the heirs or beneficiaries are; whether they agree that you should be the sole beneficiary; the value of your father's house after payment of expenses and mortgages; and whether you could buy something else with your... View More

The Bad Answer: Assuming the deed is a marital deed between your mom and stepdad, once your stepdad died the property was solely hers. If she dies without a will, then the property passes down to her heirs. This can be just you, or both you and your stepsibling if she adopted the stepchild.... View More

Without seeing the will it is impossible to answer this. Does the will REQUIRE the sale of the assets? Are you listed as an alternate personal representative? What other assets are there to pay the bills?

You need to seek local legal representation to review the documents and the facts and... View More

Get a second opinion. You also might contact a tax resolution law firm. Especially if the amounts are large.

While there are provisions for FEDERALLY guaranteed loans that imply a death is not a 'trigger event' starting a due on sale, you still will need to QUALIFY to assume the mortgage or a revised mortgage based on the lenders underwriting guidelines.

This is a VERY complicated and... View More

Reputation matters as do experience and expertise. Get suggestions from friends that can describe a good experience with their lawyer. It is also a good idea to talk to several and get a feel for what they would want to do for you and a ballpark for fees and costs. You don't need an elaborate... View More