Pennsylvania Estate Litigation Legal Questions

If it was sold before death it is not part of the estate and the proceeds should have gone to dad. If there are still proceeds in dad's bank accounts, that money falls into the estate residuary and in your case goes to sister. You should really let an attorney look at all of these documents to answer with certainty. ... Read More

This is a surprisingly difficult question. As a general matter, when each of two persons has an interest in property, their names should be conjoined ("and") because each has a simultaneous interest in the property. This is a rule that is honored more in the breach than in the observance with respect to bank accounts, however, because people -- including bankers -- often think not in terms of who "owns" the property but rather in terms of who is entitled to withdraw it. With a "joint" bank account, either one "or" the other joint depositor may withdraw the funds, but both of them own the funds until they are withdrawn. With respect to personal property for which there is registered title, such as cars and airplanes, the use of "and" is almost always appropriate, together with some indication of the manner in which title is held (such as "joint tenants" or "tenants in common" -- although that's a lesson for another day).... Read More

You don't explain any way in which those records are related to the performance of the trustee's duties. As a general matter, the trustee's rights and powers are limited to those set forth in the will, which means he cannot contest the will or the accounting of any other fiduciary. Beneficiaries, on the other hand, may generally demand an accounting.... Read More