Do I Have a Right to View My Father’s Will?

Recently, I began searching for my biological father. He left my family when I was five years old. To make a long story very short, during the course of my mother’s and my father’s 7 year relationship, he was married the entire time. Both parents were military at the time and because of that, we lived in both the United States as well as overseas. During this time, it turns out that his family was always in the same area that we were. He would tell my mother that he needed to leave for training and he would go home to his legal family. I assume he would use the same excuse with his wife, and then return to us. I was five years old when my mother discovered his betrayal and deceitfulness. My father left and never came back or looked for me. I recently found my seven half sibling online. I initiated contact with one and I am waiting for her to inform her other siblings of my existence. After initiating contact, I discovered my father’s obituary online. It turns out, I started my search for him too late. He does have a will on file with the county he lived in. Because I wasn’t acknowledged in his obituary (or to his family, period), do I have a right to view his personal information, such as his will? And if so, if I am not listed in his will (which I assume I am not), what rights do I have? Am I entitled to anything of his if there is no proof that I ever existed? I am unsure what to do or how far I should push this issue. I do feel that since he did nothing for me in my life, I should be entitled to something. Thank you in advance for your time and any assistance you may be able to provide with. Read More …

How Can I Find Out if His Will is Public Information?

Dad passed away in 2010. He told me he had a will. I did not ask, nor did he tell me the lawyer’s name who prepared the will. My question is, how can I find out if his will is public information? I’m lost and don’t know where to start. He passed in Indiana. I have contacted the funeral home and they said that my dad’s life insurance paid for it all. Thank you. Read More …

Does My Sister Have the Legal Right to Remove and Sell Items from the Home of My Deceased Parents?

House with contents left to 4 siblings. One sibling emailed everyone that she was removing items to sell. Other 3 siblings did not give their permission for her to remove items or to sell. She is not the personal representative and the estate has been closed for awhile. Does she have a legal right to do this? Is she breaking the law? And if so, can she be arrested? Read More …

Can a Judge Approve an Amendment on a Trust that I a Beneficiary, Refused to Sign Off On?

I am 49 years old. My mother passed away 4 years ago, leaving an Irrevocable Trust with 4 beneficiaries and my step-father as Trustee. As there were 2 children from each marriage, the Trust was then split into A and B. Any amendments to the Trust required the signatures of all 4 beneficiaries. Keeping the interest of myself and my family first, I refused to sign one such the amendment only to find out that the Judge went ahead a approved it anyway. Read More …

How Can I Find Out What My Beneficiary Rights to My Mother’s Estate Are?

My mother passed away 5 yrs. ago. 6 months before she passed, my stepfather and, I assume, her (she was sick with two different types of cancer, and was on a lot of morphine, and tired easily) did a family trust. My mother’s IRA had beneficiary designations, but it doesn’t look like it’s in her own handwriting. It looks like my sister’s handwriting and my sister didn’t even witness my mother wanting to change her IRA designations, my sister just says my Mom told her that. My mother’s signature is dated a different date than my stepfather’s signature and at the top of the IRA is a totally different date with the word Update. My two daughters received my share, 0,000, and because I wasn’t let in on anything, I found this out 3-4 years later. Read More …