When someone names you an executor of their will or if the trustee of their trust dies, distribute that person’s money and property according to the document’s terms to designated beneficiaries. (In this post, we refer to the roles of executor and trustee as the general term fiduciary.) Sometimes, due to a family conflict or just falling out of touch, the whereabouts of a will or trust beneficiary remain unknown. Therefore, if this occurs, as the fiduciary, how would you find a beneficiary?
Fiduciary to Find a Beneficiary
As a fiduciary, use diligence to locate a missing beneficiary. Thus, the term reasonable depends on the circumstances.
At a minimum, a fiduciary should call the last known phone number. What’s more, they should send notice of the estate or trust administration to the last known address. If this initial effort fails to yield results, the fiduciary contacts known family members or friends for information.
Value of Property
If the value of property distributes the missing beneficiary is small, then the fiduciary need not spend a lot of the estate or trust’s money to find the beneficiary. If, however, the property value remains significant, then the fiduciary may take additional efforts to locate the missing beneficiary. Also, additional efforts may include hiring a private investigator or using an heir search service.
Heir Search Services to Find a Beneficiary
Heir search services find missing beneficiaries. They employ forensic genealogists and estate investigators. These professionals conduct extensive searches throughout the world to locate missing beneficiaries. They often maintain access to additional records. These include such birth, marriage, and death certificates, adoption and other court records, and genealogical databases.
Heir search services provide an added benefit. They verify the identity of the beneficiary. This ensures that the fiduciary makes distributions to the proper person.
Work with an Attorney to Find a Beneficiary
Locating a missing beneficiary takes considerable time and cause significant delays. Meanwhile, beneficiaries expecting their share can grow impatient. Therefore, when a missing beneficiary adds a layer of complexity to an administration, hire a pro.
About Skvarna Law Firm in Glendora and Upland, California
Let a skilled attorney assist with your estate plan. Contact us today to learn about your options (909) 608-7671. We operate offices in Glendora and Upland, California. We provide legal services for individuals living in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties. This includes the cities of Upland, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, Colton, Rialto, Chino, Chino Hills, Glendora, Claremont, Montclair, Pomona, La Verne, San Dimas, Azusa, Covina, West Covina, Diamond Bar, Walnut, La Puente, Corona, Norco & Mira Loma. Visit SkvarnaLaw.com to learn more.
