If you found this blog post, you were probably recently tasked with managing someone’s estate. It could be someone you were very close to and knew intimately, or it could be the estate of a next of kin relative you met years ago.
Either way, there are a lot of documents involved with death care, and none is more important than a person’s last will and testament. The latest survey from Caring.com found that less than a third of American adults (32%) have a will. Also take into consideration that more than half of people don’t know where their parents’ wills and other estate planning documents are.
That means there’s about a 1 in 3 shot that an estate manager will need to track a will down, and at least half of them won’t know where to find it. If you find yourself in that predicament, here are a few ways to find a will.
Ask the Executor
Is someone else the executor of the will? Usually whoever oversees the estate is also named the executor of the will, but that isn’t always the case. Anyone can be named the executor of a will.
If you know there’s a will and know who the executor is, ask them if they have a copy of it or where it can be found. Since it’s the executor’s job to make sure the will is carried out correctly, they might be able to provide assistance. But don’t count on it. SeniorLiving.org found that less than half of people named as an executor of a will even know the will exists, let alone where it’s located.
The Deceased’s Home
The most common place where a copy of the will can be found is the home of the deceased. Usually there will be a copy in a filing cabinet or desk, if you’re lucky. You may also discover trying to find any document is a challenge if the deceased had no filing system or clear place where files are kept.
The Deceased’s Email and Online Files
Today a last will and testament is both a physical and digital document. If you can’t find a physical copy of the will there’s a good chance there’s a file with the will in the deceased’s email or their computer.
The Office of the Deceased’s Lawyer
A last will and testament doesn’t have to be written up by a lawyer, but most people enlist legal help to make sure everything is spelled out correctly. If the deceased had a lawyer this may be where to check first. If an attorney wrote up the will they should have retained a copy for their records.
A Lockbox
Some people choose to keep important documents like a will with their money – in the bank. Banks have lockboxes where items can be stored for safekeeping. If the deceased’s records show that they had a lockbox, check to see what’s inside. You may find the last will and testament along with other paperwork like a life insurance policy.
With Direct Cremate you don’t have to spend time tracking down documents. We handle all the logistics of direct cremation services for you so there’s nothing to figure out. You can even arrange services remotely without ever leaving home.
Give us a call or text any hour to arrange direct cremation services.
