How does a trustee determine with absolute certainty that a beneficiary is alive or dead?

You can simply request identification information through her attorney. You can also hire a private investigator to determine her whereabouts to...

For trustee in a living trust and an executor in a will do we use our married daughter's married name or family name?

You should update your documents to include your daughter's legal name. If she had her named changed after getting married use that name. You could...

I would ask that the bank modify the agreement on account of this and provide you with either an informal accounting of the trust or a formal...

Questions on estate and 401k

Unfortunately, you will need to file a supplemental inheritance tax return for this asset unless your mother was under 59 1/2. If she was not it is...

Is it necessary to pay transfer tax when transferring Real Estate into a trust in NJ?

This is a complicated question and complicated answer. By doing this you may lose the step up in basis and might make it hard to utilize any...

The trust actually owns the the property. If you are thinking about selling the property consult with a lawyer on the trust specifics as the...

What steps need to be taken if the executor named on the will lives out of the country?

Since your sister lives so far away your sister could renounce in your favor if you are named as the back up executor in the will. If this is not...

If my common law wife died and leaves an estate who receives it, me or my stepson?

If you can prove that you were in a common law marriage then in PA you would have a claim to the estate. In Pennsylvania there is no longer common...

If your part of a will of 5 people and your name is on the estate does everyone involved need to sign off

This interim, at risk, distribution should have been made with at least a receipt and release form. We would often have a beneficiary sign off on a...