Finding A Missing Beneficiary on the Internet

Estate planing practitioners may be required to locate long-lost beneficiaries.  The internet makes this task easier.  The following tips should help in this search:

• To search the person’s full name, enter the name in search engines enclosed in quotes, such as “John Smith.”  
• Search the person’s profession, last known residences, or other associated information.  
• Search online services providing criminal and traffic violations.  
• Search for wedding notices if the beneficiary is female and may have changed her last name.
• Be careful about paying for information through an online people locater service, as many do not actually guarantee any information.

See Erica E. Taub, Going Beyond Google to Find a Lost Friend, NY Times, March 24, 2010. 

Special thanks to Joel Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) for bringing this to my attention.