Can I solely make a claim for my deceased parents’

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Can I solely make a claim for my deceased parents’

I recently discovered that the State is holding unclaimed property from my deceased parents. It happens to be a rather significant amount of money. My sister is the person in charge of a trust that my mother set up in a Living Will. In order for me to claim the money, I need both death certificates and my mother’s probate documents. Obviously, my sister’s name will be listed as the head of the Trust. My sister sued me with my share of the inheritance in order to take the house I lived in. After selling my house she took all of her inheritance money, retired from her job, and is long gone. In the meantime, I have been living in and out of shelters, cheap hotels, and my car. She has no idea that this money is available. It has been held by the State now for about 15 years. Is there any possible way for me to claim this without her knowing?

Asked on January 25, 2019 under Estate Planning, Connecticut

Answers:

S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 5 years ago | Contributor

In addition to the documents you mentioned on which your sister's name appears, you will also need to complete an heirship document  for the unclaimed property on which you will need to list your name and your sister. 
You will only receive your half of the funds. The state will retain the other half for your sister. Although the state might not notify your sister of the funds (this may vary from state to state), there are companies that search unclaimed property records, notify beneficiaries in order to charge a percentage to recover the funds for the beneficiary. Your sister could receive a letter from one of those companies informing her of the unclaimed property.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption