Assuming that your late father lived and died in Puerto Rico, and having a copy of your father's death certificate, a request can be made to the Office of Notary Inspections ("ODIN", by its Spanish acronym), with whom are filed all the wills subscribed in the Commonwealth of Puerto... View More

Under Puerto Rico Rule of Law, you would need to be in pacific possession of said real estate property, openly, and (in the mind of your neighbors) as if you were the owners of said property. This would need to continue for 20 years, the go before a court of law to request said adverse possession... View More

Any repudiations must be formalized through a deed poll subscribed by the heir who rejects his/her inheritance. If an heir is gaslighting you, you'll need to take the case before a court of law. Who'll either order the heir to formally reply whether he wishes his inheritance or not. If... View More

First off, I regret your loss. Did your brother have any children? If not, are either or both of his (your) parents alive? If so, your parents would be his heirs. If your parents have passed, then you and any other siblings that you may have would be the heirs.

In order to file a Petition... View More

Succession Rule of Law in Puerto Rico states that your late uncle's estate is made up of his assets and his liabilities. Therefore, any mortgages and liens on real estate property would also have to be assumed by your late uncle's siblings. If the outstanding debts exceed the... View More

The probate process in Puerto Rico begins by procuring the death certificates of bith parents. Did they die in Puerto Rico or abroad? If the latter, you'll need to provide these. With the death certificates on hand, requests are made to the Office of Notary Inspections to determine whether... View More

There are three ways in which an heir can transfer his/her hereditary rights to another: by ceding said rights to another, by donating the rights or by repudiating his/her inheritance. The first two must be done by subscribing a deed (escritura) before a notary, with both the donator and the... View More

From the scenario that you paint, Option 2 (going through the Puerto Rico courts) seems the better alternative. It will force an appraisal of the real estate, to determine each heir's share in the estate. Any expenses incurred in maintaining the property or even increasing its value will be... View More

I'm assuming that your aunt left a Will upon her demise. The date of your aunt's death will determine the answer to your question. If your aunt died before November 28, 2020, her estate is subject to the Puerto Rico Civil Code of 1930. After November 28, 2020, her estate is subject to the... View More

At this time, Puerto Rico does not have an inheritance tax. Nevertheless, if an heir residing in the states sells his/her share in a real estate property located in Puerto Rico, the proceeds of the sale are subject to a 15%-20% retention pursuant to the Puerto Rico Tax Code, so as to force the... View More

As a rule, banks prefer to personally deliver in hand checks to each of the heirs, unless an heir living abroad grants a special power of attorney authorizing someone else to physically appear to collect the funds. If you already have an attorney working the case and you cannot travel to Puerto... View More

Certain steps must first be addressed before determining who can collect.

With a copy of your late father's death certificate, a certification of Will must be procured from the Puerto Rico Office of Notary Inspections (I'm assuming that his Will was signed and subscribed in Puerto... View More

You need to speak with a PR estate planning attorney if the property is in PR as you have stated. Things to consider include, is there a Will, what does the property deed say, is there a Trust? It is possible the property will pass to your mom per PR laws, Will and or other estate planning that is... View More

When a close relative dies, such as the case of your grandfather, the first thing that needs to be done is whether the deceased died having left a Will or not. If no Will exists, a Declaration of Heirs must be petitioned from the Puerto Rico court. Depending on when your grandfather died, the court... View More

I'm assuming that the will was granted in Puerto Rico. If that's the case, the Puerto Rico Notary Law demands that an attorney-notary who has authorized a will must notify a certified copy of said will with the Office of Notary Inspection's Registry of Wills. If your sisters wish to... View More

A recent Puerto Rico Civil Code came into effect as of November 28, 2020 by Public Law no. 55 of June 1, 2020. In this version, the widow is entitled to an equal share of the deceased's estate, same as the deceased's children. Thus, the answer to your question is that your dad's... View More

You don’t state what form did your dad’s recognition of your (apparent) sister take. If your dad recognized her as his legal daughter in a Last Will & Testament, she would only need to provide proof of identity. With no Will, you’d both need to go before the court for a Declaration of... View More

Since your grandmother resides in Puerto Rico, your question would be better directed to attorneys in Puerto Rico instead of New York. However, regardless of the jurisdiction, a living will does not address the disposition of property but merely the care of someone who may become incapacitated.

Puerto Rico courts have jurisdiction, since your dad left an estate in Puerto Rico. The same holds true for your mom's estate, assuming that the real estate property you write off was jointly acquired by both of your parents. Your dad's will, if you have the original, may be eligible to... View More

If the deceased left is entire estate to one person who is - I assume - a sibling, I take it to mean that the deceased died without a spouse, without descendants, and without living parents. The way you describe the proposed distribution, it seems that the deceased granted his/her Last Will &... View More