When a child is dealing with the loss of a parent it is a very emotional time. Children are grieving the loss of their loved one while also trying to deal with the practical matters of the death. One major issue that may occur is trying to track down a parent’s will. If a child can’t find their parent’s will there are some steps they should take.
- Check typical hiding spots. These can be in a filing cabinet, under a mattress, in a closet, a desk drawer, a safe, car glove compartment, etc.
- Safe deposit box. If a parent had a safe deposit box it could be stored there. If a child doesn’t know if there was a safe deposit box, they may want to call the bank their parent used and see if they know.
- Business card of attorney. A child should look through their parent’s paperwork for any attorney business cards. They may know if there was a will and where it is located.
- Financial professional. If a parent used a CPA or financial planner, they may also know where the will is located or the name of the attorney who created the will.
- Parent’s friends. Often a person will talk with their friends about creating a will and their attorney’s name. Friends may also know where the will was kept.
An attorney who specializes in estate administration understands that this is a hard time for their client and will do everything they can to make the process go smoothly. They can advise their client on what they can do if a will is not found and how the probate process will work.