What am I entitled to when my father passed away
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What am I entitled to when my father passed away
Good Afternoon,
My father passed away last week he had four adult children who he loved all
equally but somehow only two of his children got to plan out the entire funeral and
there was a life Insurance policy but was never told about it now I am wondering
what to do because our father said he left something for all his children.
Asked on December 12, 2018 under Estate Planning, North Carolina
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
1) Life insurance: life insurance is a contract--it pays out to the beneficiaries designated in the policy/contract, and there is no right to receive life insurance except as is designated. So the life insurance goes to whomever is/are the designated beneficiaries.
2) If there was a will, then you father's estate goes to whomever he left it to in the will. A child has no automatic right to inherit when there is a will.
3) If there is no will, then you and your siblings inherit the estate equally (you all get equal shares).
Note: because you do not mention a surviving wife of your father, this answer assumes there is no such surviving spouse.
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