What to do if an estate attorney or executor are not responding to a beneficiary’s request for information?
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What to do if an estate attorney or executor are not responding to a beneficiary’s request for information?
My husband’s dad passed away almost 3 years ago. He and his brother and his brother’s 3 daughters are all in the Will. Both my husband and brother-in-law have been trying to get answers from the lawyer and executor during the final stage. However, neither the executor (paralegal, hostile family friend) or lawyer are answering calls or returning any emails. This has been going on for months now.
Asked on February 12, 2014 under Estate Planning, Massachusetts
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 10 years ago | Contributor
This is, as you should imagine, a bad sign: there is a reasonable chance that either money was diverted or, more likely, that the lawyer and/or executor has dropped the ball in some significant way and is covering up (or at least passive-aggressively refusing to confront) the consequences. Your husband should retain his own attorney to contact the other lawyer and executor--they may respond to a lawyer in a way they will not to heirs or beneficiaries. If that still doesn't work, the attorney can take legal action, such as filing a lawsuit, to get answers.
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