Inheritance Rights In Tennessee

Summary

In Tennessee, if someone dies without a will, the estate goes into probate, and the court appoints an administrator. The estate is divided according to Tennessees intestate laws. If no life insurance beneficiary is named, proceeds go to the estate. Use the Unclaimed Property Division or the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Life Insurance Policy Locator Service to find other accounts or policies. Consult a probate attorney for guidance.

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My husband's father just passed away. He and his adult sister are the only next of kin
I'm sorry for your loss, ****. Could you please let me know your location? This will help me provide accurate information regarding your husband and his sister's rights and responsibilities as next of kin.
TN
Hello ****, my condolences for your loss. In Tennessee, as next of kin, your husband and his sister may have rights and responsibilities regarding their father's estate. Could you clarify if their father had a will?
He did not
I'm sorry for your loss. In Tennessee, when someone dies without a will:
- The estate goes into probate.
- The court appoints an administrator.
- The estate is divided according to Tennessee's intestate laws.
Did your father-in-law have any debts or assets?
We dont know
I understand, ****. In such a case, it's advisable to:
- Seek a probate attorney to help navigate the process.
- Conduct a search for assets/debts.
- Inform the court-appointed administrator of any found assets/debts.
He has a life insurance policy for $*,*.* but we dont know who the beneficiary is or if any one was listed. We also have found a few different pensions, a couple retirement accounts and such but we also have statements of early withdrawls in small amounts here and there and he has around * credit cards
In this case, ****, consider:
- Contacting the life insurance company to find out the beneficiary.
- Checking with pension/retirement account custodians about beneficiaries.
- Informing the court-appointed administrator about the credit card debts and early withdrawals.
The life insurance company wont tell us who the beneficiary is
I understand your frustration, ****. In Tennessee, insurance companies are not obligated to disclose the beneficiary without a court order. I suggest:
- Contacting a probate attorney.
- Requesting a court order to reveal the beneficiary.
Is it possible that he did not name one
Yes, it's possible that no beneficiary was named. In Tennessee, if no beneficiary is designated:
- The life insurance proceeds generally go to the deceased's estate.
- They are then distributed according to Tennessee's intestate laws.
Is there any resource for locating any other accounts or insurance policies that could exist
In Tennessee, you can:
- Check if there's an Unclaimed Property Division in your state Department of Treasury.
- Use the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' Life Insurance Policy Locator Service.
- Consult with a probate attorney for further guidance.