Solutions Heirs Beneficiaries

SOLUTIONS

EXPERTISE MEANS A HIGH LEVEL OF SUCCESS. Years of experience makes us tough in the trenches.

ESTATE & PROBATE

Drawing from over 15 years of experience in Estate & Probate trace & investigative services with a focus on probates, estates, wills, deeds, property rights, and unclaimed property, and with U.S. and international clients, we are experts in the field of genealogy research providing full reports and documentation.

We assist the courts, probate attorneys, legal representative of estates, trusts with locating missing heirs, unknown heirs, devisees, relatives, other heirs and beneficiaries to determine the rightful heirs and beneficiaries. Were it not for the diligent work of our probate researchers then even when it appears that intestate (without leaving a valid will) is involved without any known family, an estate or assets would pass to the state.

In addition our services are utilized by Trust and Estate Officers at Financial Institutions or by Attorneys specializing in Real Estate, Litigation including Class Action, Mass Tort, and wrongful death, and Intellectual Property.

TRACING HEIRS & BENEFICIARIES

The job of compiling accurate information is complex and time-consuming. Our research includes finding heirs and proving their right to inheritances. We are typically engaged to trace the most relevant next of kin to ascertain rights of beneficiaries.

We create an investigative people-map of the deceased person, tracing the closest blood relatives - anyone from sons, daughters to distant cousins. This process involves utilizing any number of resources; including obtaining of birth, marriage and death certificates, searching electoral registers both past and present, overseas records, local archives, wills, probate cases, credit history, civil and criminal records and a host of additional resources gleaned over years of researching.

We communicate with people who can lead us to or have a possible interest in the probate or search. In some cases this can lead to disproving a conflictive or counter claim.

There are certain factors, which play an important role in determining how detailed the search is and the length of time to complete the investigation.

We assist with proving the claim and gathering the required documentation as well as a diagram of the genealogy tree and relationships.

UNCLAIMED PROPERTY

Property and assets that are not claimed or that have been abandoned are under the watchful eyes of your government. These assets and accounts can come from:

Probate (Wills and Estates) where the rightful heirs or beneficiaries cannot be located,
A deceased person who does not make a will,
Financial institutions such as bank accounts, stock dividends, un-cashed checks, brokerage accounts, refunds, trust distributions, insurance annuities or claims, certificates of deposit, utility security deposits, mineral royalty rights and contents of safe deposit boxes.

When accounts lay dormant (dormancy period) or probated wills and estates cannot locate the rightful heirs; the funds and property are deposited with the state in special accounts for a period of time as legislated by each state. The property is classified as abandoned. Each state has its own dormancy period. During this period the state undertakes to find the next of kin to disburse the funds. However in many instances the state can only do so much investigative work. These assets remain unclaimed. After a period of time these funds become escheated to the state and all rights of the heirs cease.

Choice Trust International, understands the trade-off between the state’s efforts to find the rightful heirs and the fact that the state can claim ownership of the funds in the event the rightful heirs and beneficiaries are not located within the time allotted by the states legislature.

We proceed under the state’s Freedom of Information Act and work diligently to locate unclaimed properties; find the rightful heirs and claim funds on their behalf including going to court.

Once we locate someone that we think is a rightful heir, we will do all the necessary work to recover the funds.There are no upfront fees for any of the work we do since we initiate the claim after you give us your authorization.

In return our fees are based on a percentage of the funds collected – and we are paid only if we collect. Everything is spelled out in a written agreement between the parties including disclosure of claimed amounts and fees.

In addition, if you believe that you are entitled to funds and would like our assistance in recovering and representing your rights, contact us to help.