Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Pennsylvania
need help to get some things that where settled in probate from sister
my father died on june 2, 2002, my sister was supposed to give me some things from the house and ive never received them she is not answering my calls. and also the vetrans were supposed to reimberse for some of the funeral and there still is no headstone and it will be one year in one week
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: need help to get some things that where settled in probate from sister
If your sister was appointed as Executrix in your father's will, or if she applied for and received letters of administration from the Register of Wills in the County where your father resided, she had responsibility for notifying all other heirs and beneficiaries under the will, if there was one. You should have received such a notice from her. She also should have filed a PA inheritance tax return within 9months after the date of your father's death.
In order to complete the estate administration, she must either file a formal accounting with the Register of Wills, or she should have a family settlement agreement, in which she should state an informal accounting of what was in the estate, what was received (such as the veteran's benefits), what was paid out, and what remains to be distributed.
If none of this has occurred, you should retain the services of a probate attorney in the county where the estate is being administered, to represent your interest, and to demand an accounting.
You may contact the county bar association to ask for names of attorneys who practice in the area of estate administration.