How Genealogical Search Agencies Work
A missing heir is someone related to a dead person who can not be found. There is no address and the concerned parties do not know where the missing heir can be found. A private investigator, probate research firm or forensic genealogist can be hired to perform an genealogical search. The laws regarding estate law are very complex and change from country to country and from state to state. This is why a qualified experienced professional is often required to work out the problems that may arise in settling an estate.
Besides finding heirs for the settlement of inheritance of an estate, there are other situations where the services of a probate researcher may be useful. Inactive bank accounts and safe deposit boxes are turned over to the state. A probate researcher will search for the owner of these inactive accounts. Disputes over ownership of real estate may require tracking down a lost relative. The same is true in disputes over gas, oil, and mineral rights.
People who perform these searches require a broad set of skills. They are part lawyer, part genealogist, and part detective. The laws are complex and vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. This can be a fascinating job but it also involves a lot of time researching government files which is not particularly glamorous.
There are many different names for probate researchers. They are sometimes referred to as forensic genealogists, heir searchers, or heir hunters. Whatever you call them, they all do the same thing. They try to find someone whose whereabouts are unknown. There are a variety of private investigation techniques that are employed to find a missing heir.
There are several different professional titles given to probate researchers. They are referred to as forensic genealogists, heir hunters or heir searchers. Notwithstanding what you call their service, they all do the same thing. Often they are a licensed private investigators or a practicing lawyer. What they do is a combination with a police detective, government archive researcher, and attorney.
The field of probate research is filled with many legal terms. An important legal term is the word intestate. Intestate is the condition of a person dying without having filed a valid last will and testament. In this situation any net assets belonging to the deceased are distributed by the probate court. It is the probate court's responsibility to establish the legal heirs of the deceased's estate.
The laws regarding inheritances, heirs and estates are different in every country and in the United States, are different in every state. This makes the job of probate researcher more complicated because they will be operating in so many different jurisdictions. Probate researchers, most of the time, have very little information to use. Often only a name and maybe a birth date is the only information available. Often an heir has no idea that they are entitled to an inheritance.
You must be careful if you are contacted and told that you are a missing heir to an estate. Never pay an upfront fee to obtain the information regarding an inheritance. This is a fraud and should be reported to the authorities. A legitimate genealogical search company never asks for an advanced fee before releasing information about an inheritance.
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