I received a call today from a firm that tracks down mising heirs. A half-brother to my father left an estate to a what... half-cousin who died intestate in Florida. My siblings and I will receive a bit of money from the unclaimed property section. They seem to have correctly identified my siblings, including my late brother. I have heard of such firms before so I do not find it implausible. They get some of it for doing the paperwork verifying family relationships.
So I checked the Florida unclaimed property website which in spite of the name seems to be a Florida government agency. Anyone had this experience?
It appears they charge an incredible premium for this.
I spoke with an attorney in Florida who immediately knew who I was ("I'm a fan") and walked me through the not terribly hard process of establishing a claim on the estate, death certificate of the late Cramer gives birth county which gives birth certificate to show ancestry.
FLTreasureHunt.gov is legit.
ReplyDeleteThis might still be in the probate court, not the unclaimed property realm. I was recently involved with a convoluted intestate estate that had to have probate re-opened when an additional (and substantial) asset came to light. The relative died, intestate, over 50 years ago in Alabama and his estate was distributed per Alabama law. Recently it was discovered he was the heir to the 1/2 interest in some mineral rights his mother had owned in Texas. That required a Texas probate and a court appointed genealogist. There where 385 living heirs in the paternal grandparents chain, potentially a similar number on the maternal side. Some only children of only children and just the 3rd generation, ended up with over $30k. At the other extreme there were some 5th generation heirs with large families at each generation that got less than $20.
Florida Court records are generally accessible online. You'll not be able to see details without showing some legit "interest" but the fact that a probate has been opened is a public record.
What a mess. If this is indeed my half-brother thee are only three siblins with a claim. Florida death certificates seem not to be online. I am going to send off an application today. I should look for an online probate record, although I understand he died intestate.
DeletePlease clarify. "They" charge a premium.... They is the phone caller who tracked you down, or they is the State of Florida ?
ReplyDeleteThe caller. Florida charges nothing. I am trying to get a death certificate for this half-brother.
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