• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
  • Services
    • Asset Protection & Business Planning
    • Elder Law & Medicaid Services
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Estate Planning Services
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Legacy Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Pet Planning
    • SECURE Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration & Probate
  • Elder Law
    • Coping With Alzheimer’s
    • Emergency Medicaid & Nursing Home Planning
    • Guardianship & Conservatorship
    • Hospice Care
    • Medicaid Planning
    • Veterans Benefits
  • Seminars
  • Areas We Serve
    • Ballwin
    • Chesterfield
    • Clayton
    • Creve Couer
    • Des Peres
    • Edwardsville
    • Fenton
    • Glen Carbon
    • Glendale
    • Kirkwood
    • Maryland Heights
    • Oakland
    • Sappington
    • St. Louis
    • Sunset Hills
    • Valley Park
    • Webster Groves
  • Resources
    • Asset Protection Worksheet
    • Elder Law Resources
      • Chesterfield Elder Law
      • Fenton Elder Law
      • Kirkwood Elder Law
      • Sunset Hills Elder Law
      • St. Louis Elder Law
      • St. Peters Elder Law
      • Webster Groves Elder Law
    • FREE Estate Planning Seminars
    • FREE Estate Planning Worksheet
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Estate Planning
      • Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Trust Administration & Probate
    • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
    • Medicaid Resources
    • Multimedia
    • Newsletters
    • Presentations
    • Pre Consultation Form
    • Probate Checklist
    • Probate Resources
    • Retirement Planning Checklist
    • Special Reports
      • Advanced Estate Planning
      • Basic Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning For Niches
      • Trust Administration
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Amen, Gantner & Capriano | Your Estate Matters, L.L.C.

St. Louis Estate Planning & Elder Law Attorneys

Logo
CONNECT WITH US TODAY (314) 966-8077
ATTEND A FREE WEBINAR
Home / Inheritance / How Do I Know What My Inheritance Is?

How Do I Know What My Inheritance Is?

August 21, 2015

Inheritance

What My Inheritance IsIf you recently lost a parent, grandparent, or other close loved one you are undoubtedly going through an emotional and confusing time period. Along with the grief and sadness you may be feeling, you may also be concerned about the practical and legal issues that surround a death. One question you likely have, but are hesitant to ask anyone, is “ How do I know what my inheritance is ? ” Although this is a perfectly reasonable, and understandable, question to ask, most people are worried that asking it will make them appear callous or materialistic. There are, however, a number of perfectly understandable and legitimate reasons why a beneficiary or heir of an estate would want to know what to expect from the decedent’s estate.

First, it is important to note that you cannot access someone’s Last Will and Testament while they are alive unless they choose to share it with you. A Will only becomes public record, and therefore obtainable to anyone who requests a copy, after it has been admitted to probate following the death of the Testator (the person who executed the Will). Obtaining a copy of a decedent’s Will can sometimes be accomplished online by finding the appropriate county court’s website and doing a records search. Usually, a Will is probated in the county where the decedent lived at the time of death or in a county where the decedent owned property.

Your inheritance, however, may not be found in the decedent’s Will. If the decedent created a trust agreement prior to death, or a testamentary trust that became effective after death, the details of your inheritance may be found there instead of in the decedent’s Will. In that case, the Trustee of the trust is obligated to communicate with you and let you know that you are a beneficiary of the trust. The Trustee will also be the best source for information regarding the terms of the trust, or exactly what you will receive, and when you will receive it, as a beneficiary of the trust.

Finally, if the decedent died intestate, or without a Will, and no trust was established by the decedent, the Missouri laws of intestate succession will determine if you are an heir to the estate and, if so, what percentage of the estate assets you will inherit. The value of the estate, in that case, will not be known until all the assets have been identified and inventoried by the Personal Representative of the estate.

Of course, the easiest way to find out where you stand as a beneficiary or heir of an estate is to consult with an experienced Missouri estate planning attorney. Contact the experienced Missouri estate planning attorneys at Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, LLC by calling (314) 966-8077 to schedule an appointment.

 

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Paul Gantner
Paul Gantner
I am an owner of Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, L.L.C. I have been able to bring my business and legal education and experience into a firm that has for many years provided comprehensive estate plans that meet clients’ needs and expectations.My passion has been creating and constantly pushing AGC’s mission of “Helping Families Secure their Legacies by Embracing them into the Law Firm Family through Long-term, Personal Advisory Relationships.”
Paul Gantner
Latest posts by Paul Gantner (see all)
  • What Happens When You Don’t Trust Your Trustee – Part I - March 28, 2023
  • Show Your Love by Creating an Estate Plan - March 21, 2023
  • What You Need to Know About SECURE Act 2.0 - March 14, 2023

Filed Under: Inheritance

Other Articles You May Find Useful

Missouri inheritance tax
What You Need to Know about Missouri Inheritance Tax
Amen, Gantner & Capriano | Your Estate Matters, L.L.C.
Can You Disclaim an Inheritance
Amen, Gantner & Capriano | Your Estate Matters, L.L.C.
Is The Inheritance You Leave Your Kids Taxable?
Amen, Gantner & Capriano | Your Estate Matters, L.L.C.
What Inheritance Rights Does a Child Conceived after Death Have?
Amen, Gantner & Capriano | Your Estate Matters, L.L.C.
Will Your Beneficiaries Blow Their Inheritance?
Amen, Gantner & Capriano | Your Estate Matters, L.L.C.
Free Report: How Long Will It Take to Actually Receive Inheritance?

About Paul Gantner

I am an owner of Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, L.L.C. I have been able to bring my business and legal education and experience into a firm that has for many years provided comprehensive estate plans that meet clients’ needs and expectations. My passion has been creating and constantly pushing AGC’s mission of “Helping Families Secure their Legacies by Embracing them into the Law Firm Family through Long-term, Personal Advisory Relationships.”

Primary Sidebar

Download our free Estate Planning Worksheet

There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • youtube

Blog Subscription

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Where We Are

Amen, Gantner & Capriano
10733 Sunset Office Drive, Suite 425
St. Louis, MO 63127

See Larger MapGet directions

Office Hours

Monday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday8:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Map

map for Amen, Gantner & Capriano Your Estate Matters office
  • Advantages of Working With Our Firm
  • About The American Academy
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us

Footer

Connect to us

  • Facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • youtube
footer-logo

© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.

Amen, Gantner & Capriano,
Your Estate Matters, LLC

Attorney Advertisement