Missing Assets and Disputed Ownership

When a person dies, it is not always easy to identify with precision which assets are property of the estate, which are titled in a trust, or which are joint assets that pass automatically to a surviving joint tenant. Sometimes assets are simply taken from the estate on the grounds that "Grandmother always told me that she wanted me to have this ring," or "you know that Dad meant for me to take his truck, don't you?"

Resolving these probate disputes can sometimes involve delicate problems of family dynamics as well as complex legal issues. If you have an interest in a decedent's estate that seems to be missing some valuable assets, if you are a personal representative who needs advice about resolving conflicting claims to insurance proceeds, or if you believe that you have rights to money held in a joint checking or investment accounts, contact a knowledgeable trust and estate lawyer at Barron, Rosenberg, Mayoras & Mayoras, P.C. in Troy. We can help straighten out probate ownership disputes, usually on terms that will improve strained family relationships.

Whether you hold a contested claim to particular property or must act on behalf of the estate or trust in determining an ownership or inheritance dispute, our experienced probate attorneys can represent you in such cases as the following:

• Disputes as to gift transfers
• Contested ownership between a trust and a decedent's estate
• Undue influence, fraud, or duress with respect to an inter vivos transfer
• Survivorship rights of a surviving spouse or child with respect to real property, bank accounts, brokerage accounts, motor vehicles or other jointly held assets
• A claim by an heir or personal representative that the surviving signatory on a joint account does not succeed to ownership, but instead is administering an account of convenience for the benefit of others similarly situated
• Challenges to beneficiary designations on life insurance policies, annuity policies or retirement accounts

No matter what your connection to the estate or a particular asset might be, we can help identify and resolve disputes as to the ownership of particular property, and work to recover assets that might have been taken as gifts prior to the probate of the will. We will aggressively litigate your claim in court when necessary. For additional information about our ability to represent your interests effectively in ownership disputes among heirs, contact an experienced probate lawyer at Barron, Rosenberg, Mayoras & Mayoras, P.C.