When loved ones leave unsettled, unorganized estates, it leaves ordinary families to play detective in a time of grief and stress. Not only is it hard to track down assets of a family member who dies without a will, it can also be hard to uncover financial assets of those with estate-planning documents because we live in an era of digital assets. Therefore, it is essential to do the proper detective work for any estate plan, including obtaining a family tree for inheritance and executor purposes. Another good idea is to develop spreadsheets detailing the estate’s assets and liabilities to lessen the need for playing detective.
See Jerilyn Klein Bier, Playing Detective, Financial Advisor, August 1, 2016.
Special thanks to Joel Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) & Jim Hillhouse (Professional Legal Marketing (PLM, Inc.)) for bringing this article to my attention.
