Full question:
My father died 3 a half years ago. I believe very strongly he had a trust account. He was highly invested all his life, and spent 30 years hiding it from my mother who is a big time gambler.Since his death there have been many inuendos about there being a trust but when I have asked both my mother and sister (who live together) they deny it.These inuendos have been many;for example my mother said she was a trustee in the estate,how would you feel if your husband left all his money to your son.My sister has said that her and mom moved all the money and if i want my share I will have to fight for it if i can figure out the one thing they did.She said if they get caught moving the money they will blame it on me.And there is so many more things or hints dropped. There is no will probated.I know trusts are not public knowledge but there has to be someway to find out .
- Category: Trusts
- Date:
- State: New Jersey
Answer:
To investigate whether your father had a trust account, consider these steps:
1. Look for physical documents: Check places like a safe deposit box, under mattresses, inside books, glove boxes, or safes in the house. If you need to access a safe deposit box and you're not listed on the account, a court order may be necessary.
2. Review financial records: Examine checkbooks for payments made to attorneys or law firms, which might indicate who created the trust.
3. Contact local attorneys: If you can't identify the attorney, you can try calling local law firms listed in the phone book. They may not remember your father, but they might refer you to someone who does.
4. Talk to friends: Friends of your father may have insights or knowledge about the trust or where it might be stored.
5. Check the courthouse: Some states allow notices of trusts to be filed with the courthouse. Contact the Probate Division to see if any documents were filed.
These steps may help you uncover information about your father's trust account.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.