questions & answers

Question: Mom and Dad never divorced, dad past in Jan. '13. We are six siblings same parent's. Dad had a live in spouse for about 25 years and he may have added her name to both his houses and cars. Is mom entitled to his social security money and assets?

Answer: Generally, after a person dies, the heirs are entitled to a copy of the will immediately. They can get a copy from an attorney who has one, even if they are not named in the will. This is typically for primary family members. For example, if the family members are "cousins" it may be too remote of a relationship. Whether or not a person is named in the will, if that person is a family member, they will likely get notice of the probate. For more information, check out Chapter 2, Article 1 on Intestate Succession and Wills on the Arizona Revised Statutes website. http://www.azleg.gov/ArizonaRevisedStatutes.asp?Title=14