» Inheritance

It doesn't just happen in the movies: it's possible that in real life, a relative has passed away and left you a part of their estate. But how do you find out?

The answer depends on how you think the money might have been left to you. When most people ask whether they have an inheritance, they are thinking of the probate estate of the deceased person, also known as the decedent. So the first thing to do is to review the decedent's probate case.

When a person dies owning money or other assets in their sole name (as opposed to trust assets or assets held jointly with another person, like a house or joint bank account), that property must go through probate after their death in order to be administered to heirs. This is true whether or not the person had a last will and testament.

Probate matters are public record. If your deceased relative last resided in Montgomery County, Ohio, for instance, their probate case would be filed in the Montgomery County Probate Court. You would be able to look up, and look at, any documents in the case,. This would… Read More