What If A Beneficiary Or Heir Of An Estate In Washington State Cannot Be Located?

Here is one solution to close an estate in Washington State when you cannot locate an heir or beneficiary.

A Personal Representative or the Administrator (sometimes called the Executor) of an Estate is charged with locating the beneficiaries of a Will or the heirs of someone who has died. Sometimes this is an easy job, but instances arise where it is difficult to track down the person who is entitled to a share of the estate. If that person cannot be found, they may be considered an “Absentee Distributee.”

Fortunately, Washington statute has provided a way to handle that problem so that the entire estate will not be held up simply because on of the heirs cannot be found. RCW 11.76.200 through .245 provides for a procedure to set aside the share of the estate for the Absentee Distributee. The court can appoint an agent for the Absentee Distributee, charged with representing his/her interests and taking control of the Absentee Distributee’s estate for his/her benefit. With the agent holding the Absentee Distributee’s share (and trying to locate him/her), the rest of the estate can be handled and eventually closed.

If you have been appointed a Personal Representative, Administrator, or Executor of an estate in Washington State and are facing this type of problem, or need legal assistance in your role administering the estate, contact a Estate Planning & Probate attorney at Beresford Booth.

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