Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in California
Time Line To Find Beneficiaries
Aunt deceased in CA. Beneficiaries are mentioned who are living in various states. Most addresses are no longer valid. Have not been able to locate several. What do I have to do legally with remaining funds.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Time Line To Find Beneficiaries
How hard have you tried to locate the missing beneficiaries? There are "legal locate" or "skip tracing" services available that can find people 25 or even 30 years later for a cost of under $30 per search. You have a duty to use "due diligence" to search for the beneficiaries.
If you cannot find them after a "diligent" search, I believe you are required to turn that person's funds over to the Unclaimed Property Office in the Secretary of State's Office. If it's a beneficiary under a Will rather than a trust, then I believe the law requires the money to be turned over to the County Controller's Office.
This information is not intended to substitute for professional legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. You should accept legal advice only from a licensed legal professional with whom you have an attorney-client relationship.
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