I don't know if this is the right place to ask this question but I"m gonna post it anyway...
My mother's brother just passed away a few months ago. He died with quite a lot of money. His executor was his son and the family received something, EXCEPT my mother - which I'm sure he did. That family is so damn greedy it wouldn't surprise me if they kept what he wanted to give mom, especially if it was money.
Question is - can an executor defy his wishes and refuse to give mom her due or even not letting her know she was listed in his will? What avenues can we take to see what was in the will? I mean he could have left mom a substantial gift and if she was gifted something how do we find out?
The same is not true of a trust, in terms of it being public. Hope someone else will have a more complete answer for you.
Probate has to be done in the County of the death so that is where you start. Call or go to that Counties County Seat and ask if the Will is on file. It is now public so you can find out who was beneficiary. Also ask if its been closed. The Executor's job is to carry out the wishes of the person who wrote the will.
No an executor cannot alter a will and is required by law to carry out the instructions stated in the will (as far as they are possible, that is, obviously. I can instruct my executor to pay my kids a zillion pounds each but sadly the money will be lacking, just for example).
So no matter what your cousin's feelings towards your mother, if your mother was a beneficiary of your uncle's will then as executor he would have had to notify her of and ensure she got her legacy.
But what makes you so sure that your uncle would have left something to your mother? When you say "the family received something" - what relation to your uncle were those other family members?
If you find that siblings were left something and Mom wasn't, just let it go. It will be hard, but none of your relatives are responsible for what ur Uncle has done with his estate. Its his estate to do with what he wants.
My mother and her brother were very close. My uncle was NOT close to his children, grandchildren or great grandchildren. You have never seen anyone so greedy as these relatives. Not even a week after my uncle passed his step daughter moved into his home, his granddaughter took his car, etc...
My uncle would certainly have left my mother something, before he passed there were many talks on things he wanted her to have. It's been 8 months since his passing and nothing has been heard at all regarding anything for mom. I guess I could be completely wrong - which happens quite a lot in my life.
I don't know I was just trying to get y'all's opinions on this. Thanks everyone!