How to find out if a deceased person left a will?

Very often family and friends of a deceased person often ask, how can they find out if the deceased left a will ?

How to find out if my father left me any assets?

If not, you will need to proceed according to intestacy laws. If your deceased father created a will during his lifetime, he will likely have left a copy of the will with his attorney. The will should name an executor, who is responsible for managing a deceased individual’s estate and distributing assets to the decedent’s beneficiaries.

How can I get a copy of the will of a deceased person?

Wills are typically filed in probate courts based on the county in which a deceased person lived at the time of his or her death, or the county in which the deceased person owned real estate. Once a person determines the correct probate court, he or she can see if their loved one’s will has been filed, by checking a court’s probate docket, online.

What happens to the property of a deceased person?

In cases like these, the deceased person’s property would pass directly to the other joint owners. In other words: the deceased person’s property will effectively bypass the terms of their will. In this situation, potential beneficiaries should consult estate lawyers or trust litigators, to determine their legal rights and options.

Can a will be seen after a person dies?

Even after a person dies, his will may only be viewed after it has been filed for probate, at which time the document becomes a public court record. Wills are typically filed in probate courts based on the county in which a deceased person lived at the time of his or her death, or the county in which the deceased person owned real estate.

How can I find out if someone left me money in a will?

The executor begins the probate process by filing a petition in probate court in the deceased person’s county of residence. Generally, when a probate case is opened, the will is one of the first documents filed and becomes a public record available for anyone to inspect.