The Personal Representative just wraps up the estate and settles any bills, if there are funds to pay them, and notifies the heirs the estate has no assets.
If it is gone, where did it go? If it paid nursing home bills, that is what a Will specifies, read carefully where it says "AFTER all debts are paid..." the remainder is then bequeathed. Often nothing remains.
this is a timely question, because my mother died in June, and some of the items she describes on her lists of who gets what---I have searched through out her home, closets, shelves, and simply cannot find the items. And I have at least 2 siblings that I know, will be very disappointed to hear those items are just not being found. Naturally, the siblings are going to say I lost them or took them, but that is not true. The job of Personal Representative is "no fun"!
My MIL's Will says her wedding rings go to her daughter. She gave them to her in person instead, so that is done. Malloryg8r, your mom probably did the same thing and I think that is the best way, give them in person.
Yes I do have an estate lawyer who is really helpful, they told me a when someone dies, you have to do an entire household inventory, which I didn't believe, but I went ahead and did it anyhow. The items in question are not on that inventory list, either. So I am left to wonder if she gave them as a gift....she liked to give things away (I wish she had done more of that) for weddings and graduations. I certainly don't need anything, my house is too small.
Invite them to come help look for the missing items. Convince them through openness that you are not hiding anything, if you can...if you can't, at least you tried and maybe the "things" will fade in importance eventually... Agree it is no fun to deal with all that!
that's what I did; I don't think the people they were intended for really cared anyway, just the one's dad did and I suspect he probably would have kept it anyway and the one I suspect would have just sold it anyway
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