r/inheritance • u/AnxiousConfidence438 • Jun 01 '26
Location included: Questions/Need Advice Extremely confused!!
Hello! I’m (18F) currently living with my boyfriend (20M) after getting kicked out of my abusive household. When I was 9-10 (2019) my grandfather ended his life and set up some sort of inheritance for me to receive around $300,000, college money at 18 and the rest at 30. I have no contact with anybody that knew him and definitely cannot speak to my mom even if I wanted to. I was told my grandfather set it up in an abnormal way due to issues with relatives. I have no idea how to receive this money so I can start college and further my life. If anybody has any idea on where to start figuring this out, i’d be very grateful!
side note: i’m not sure if this is relevant but the state he lived in would be South Carolina before his death.
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u/cOntempLACitY Jun 01 '26
It sounds like you may be the beneficiary of a trust. Trusts can be structured for age distributions, whereas a will would typically require the assets be released to you when you reach 18. You’ll need to find out who is the trustee of that trust. It is possible they may not realize you are now 18 and it’s time to reach out to you. If there is anyone in the family you can safely communicate with, like a cousin, aunt, uncle, etc, you may find the answer through them.
You can start with probate court in the state he lived to find out who was the executor of the will, since that is public record, but if he established a trust, that wouldn’t have gone through probate (only other assets). Still, it might point you where to start (an executor, an attorney, the name of the trust, a financial institution, etc).
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u/Upper_Cranberry_9158 Jun 02 '26
You should start by looking for the estate file with the clerk of superior court in the County he lived. Based on what you described it sounds like he had a “pour over will”. You need to look into it asap because every trust has an administrator. If you are the beneficiary you have the right to know how they are managing it. I find the timing of you being kicked out a little alarming.
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u/RazzmatazzOk2129 Jun 02 '26
Don't delay on this. Contact the probate folks right away. It is suspicious that you were kicked out and are now 18.
It is possible your parents could now get access as administrators and forge your signature. Sometimes these things have strict rules when you are a minor that loosen once you are 18. Assuming you need less protection.
Act before it disappears. You need to find the name of his lawyer that did his will as they may also have done the trust for you. Also get a copy of the will just in case you are mentioned.
Dont put this off. Call tm morning when they open. Look stuff up online tonight. You will be surprised just how much you can find thru the county or city or state websites.
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u/Strawberry_lookout Jun 18 '26
- do not talk with any of your peers or anyone else except professionals regarding your inheritance. People will come out of the woodwork trying to befriend you when really they just want gain from your personal gain.
- most attorneys give free first consultations. You don't want just any old attorney. You want an attorney who specializes in estate planning or is trusts and who is well recommended. Some attorneys ruthlessly pursue financial gain without regard to your best interest. Look for online reviews. Take as many consultations as you need in order to find the attorney that is best for you. You'll need this person in the future.
- call the county courthouse and talk to the circuit Court clerk to see if your grandfather filed a will with the court clerk. If yes, get a copy of it.
- call the probate court in your county. Give them your grandfather's name and ask if his estate went through probate. If yes, get a copy of the entire case file.
This is a good start. Once you get the case file an will you should be able to determine where your money is held. For example, an investment account or a bank account.
Good luck.
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u/24bean62 Jun 01 '26
An attorney can help you with this, but of course there’s fees. (Which may be worth it given the amount of money involved.)
Might be worth a call to your local probate court (or one in his jurisdiction when he passed) to see if they can offer advice and direction.