Trusts and Wills

Dear Len & Rosie,

My husband died three weeks ago. He had a trust of his own. If he has some accounts that are not in the trust, and have no beneficiary listed, who inherits those? He has two sons. I, his wife, am co-executor of his will and co-trustee of his trust with his oldest son.

Margot

Trust Administration

Dear Len & Rosie,

My father passed away a year ago. He had a living trust and my brother is the trustee. There are five children surviving. My mother is also deceased. After my dad's death, my sister, my brother the trustee and I began clearing the house of forty-five years worth of possessions. We took out two dumpsters of garbage, and gave loads and loads of items to the Goodwill. This took us many emotional months to accomplish. Our other two siblings were not interested in helping and when asked if they wanted anything responded by telling us to take whatever we wanted. The valuable items were divided - we got first choice as the other two were not interested - but we did give them a share.

Now my brother the trustee received a certified letter from our oldest sibling stating that she is entitled to an accounting of the distribution of the items. We do not know her motive. She may request some of these items or maybe she wants money. What is our legal obligation to her request? Isn't the trustee entitled to divide the items as he believes is fair?

Annette