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If your not married how can you find out about a person who passed away, financial situation?
Anonymous5 views2 answers
My fiancé (we were together for 17 years), she applied for SSI she received it for 2 years and got a 2 year payout and she has twin girls ages 15. We found the paperwork proving that she received the money and I was wondering how to find out where the money is because she passed away on May 27, 2013. Since we were not married I was wondering if I could still find out all this information, if I can how do I go about it. Because I heard it might have gone to her parents. An if it did, is her children still entitled to receive it? If her parents receive the money do they have a right to spend the money or does it go to her children?
Her dependent children should be entitled to receive her estate, and the guardian of her children should be able to apply for dependent benefits. So there are two paths here, one to administer her estate and collect the assets for her children, and one to act on behalf of the minor children to investigate dependent benefits from SSA. If you were not married, her parents have priority in acting as administrator of her estate. And if you were not the parent of her children, their father has authority to represent the children, otherwise a guardian may need to be appointed. You need to talk with a lawyer if you intend to proceed down these paths.
Judith Anne ScheningEstate Planning AttorneySouth Elgin, IL ·
I am so sorry for your loss. I agree with Attorney Durr's comments and would add that you can go to the Probate Court where your fiancé resided and ask whether anyone has opened a probate estate for her and if anyone has been appointed administrator. If not, I would suggest you contact a probate attorney to determine if it would be appropriate for you to do so, meaning that you would take responsibility for settling her estate (collecting her assets and paying her debts). Are you in communication with her parents? Perhaps you can just ask them these questions, as well as whether they have received their daughter's SSI. Separately, who is the guardian of the minor children now? Their father? Did their grandparents petition the court to be appointed guardians of the children? There are too many missing facts for us to give you specific answers, but perhaps you now have enough suggestions that you can make some progress on your issue. Best wishes.
