Locate Missing Heirs & Beneficiaries
Professional Heir Search Services for Probate & Estate Administration
When an estate includes missing heirs, unknown beneficiaries, or hard-to-find next of kin, administration grinds to a halt. Our professional heir search services locate the people you need to find—from estranged family members to beneficiaries who don’t know they’re entitled to an inheritance.
🔍 What Is an Heir Search?
An heir search (also called beneficiary location or missing heir investigation) is an investigative service that locates individuals who are entitled to inherit from an estate but cannot be found through normal channels. This may include family members who have lost touch with the decedent, beneficiaries named in a will who have moved without leaving forwarding information, or potential intestate heirs who don’t even know they’re entitled to an inheritance.
Heir searches combine genealogical research with skip tracing investigation. We first establish who the rightful heirs are (when not already known), then locate those individuals so they can be notified of their inheritance and participate in the probate process.
This service is essential for estate administrators, probate attorneys, and fiduciaries who have a legal obligation to notify all heirs and beneficiaries. Without locating these individuals, estates cannot be properly administered, assets cannot be distributed, and cases cannot be closed.
👥 Who Needs Heir Search Services?
Our heir search services support legal and financial professionals handling estates with missing or hard-to-locate beneficiaries:
⚖️ Probate Attorneys
Attorneys handling estate administration who need to locate all heirs for notification, will contests, or intestate succession matters. We provide documented searches that support due diligence requirements.
📋 Estate Administrators
Executors and administrators who must notify all beneficiaries before distributing assets. We help you fulfill your fiduciary duty to locate heirs.
🏦 Trust Companies
Corporate trustees administering trusts with missing or unknown beneficiaries. We locate current and contingent beneficiaries so trusts can be properly administered.
💼 Financial Institutions
Banks, insurance companies, and pension administrators holding unclaimed assets that need to be distributed to rightful heirs or beneficiaries.
🏛️ Public Administrators
Government officials handling estates of decedents who died without known heirs. We conduct heir searches to identify potential claimants before escheatment.
👨👩👧 Families
Family members trying to locate relatives for inheritance notification, family reunification, or estate planning purposes.
📋 Types of Heir Searches We Conduct
Every heir search is different. We tailor our investigation to your specific situation:
🔍 Known Heir Location
You know who the heirs are—you just can’t find them. We use skip tracing techniques to locate heirs who have moved, changed names, or lost contact with the family.
📜 Intestate Heir Search
Decedent died without a will, and you need to identify all heirs under intestate succession laws. We conduct genealogical research combined with location services.
👥 Unknown Beneficiary Search
Will or trust names beneficiaries by class (e.g., “my nieces and nephews”) rather than individually. We identify all members of the class and locate them.
🌳 Next of Kin Investigation
No known family members. We conduct research to identify and locate the decedent’s closest living relatives.
✅ Heir Verification
Individuals claim to be heirs—but are they? We verify relationships and identity to protect estates from fraudulent claims.
🌍 International Heir Search
Heirs may be located outside the United States. We coordinate international searches for beneficiaries in foreign countries.
📊 What Information You’ll Receive
Our heir search reports are designed to support estate administration and meet court requirements for due diligence:
Heir Identification
- Full legal names of all identified heirs
- Relationship to decedent documented through vital records research
- Dates of birth and other identifying information
- Heir status – living, deceased, or unknown
Current Location Information
- Current address – verified physical address for service/notification
- Phone numbers – current contact numbers
- Email addresses – when available
- Previous addresses – address history if relevant
Documentation
- Family tree diagram – visual representation of family relationships
- Source documentation – vital records, public records, and other sources supporting our findings
- Search methodology – description of research conducted for court filings
- Affidavit of search – when required for due diligence documentation
📋 Court-Ready Documentation
Our reports are prepared with probate court requirements in mind. When you need to demonstrate due diligence in locating heirs—whether for routine administration or to support escheatment proceedings—our documented search methodology and sourced findings provide the support you need.
⚙️ Our Heir Search Process
We approach each heir search systematically to ensure thorough, accurate results:
Initial Assessment
We review the information you provide about the decedent and any known heirs. This helps us understand the scope of the search and develop an appropriate research plan.
Genealogical Research
When heirs need to be identified (not just located), we conduct genealogical research using vital records, census data, and other historical sources to establish family relationships.
Heir Location
Once heirs are identified, we apply professional skip tracing techniques to locate current addresses and contact information for each individual.
Verification
We verify that located individuals are actually the heirs in question—confirming identity and relationship to protect against mistaken or fraudulent claims.
Report Delivery
You receive a comprehensive report documenting our findings, including heir identification, current contact information, family relationships, and source documentation.
✅ Why Choose People Locator Skip Tracing?
Combined Expertise
Effective heir searching requires two distinct skill sets: genealogical research to identify heirs and skip tracing to locate them. Our team combines both capabilities, allowing us to handle searches from identification through location in a single engagement.
20+ Years of Experience
We’ve conducted heir searches for probate attorneys, estate administrators, and financial institutions for over two decades. We understand the legal requirements, the court expectations, and the practical challenges of finding people who may not know they’re being sought.
Documented, Defensible Research
Our work product is designed to stand up in court. We document our sources, explain our methodology, and provide the supporting materials you need for probate filings or due diligence defense.
No Percentage Fees
Unlike some heir search companies that charge a percentage of the inheritance, we charge flat fees for our services. This eliminates conflicts of interest and ensures our only goal is finding the heirs—not maximizing our cut of the estate.
Nationwide and International Coverage
Heirs move. Families scatter. We locate heirs regardless of where they’ve ended up—across the United States or in foreign countries.
Confidential and Professional
We handle sensitive family and financial matters with appropriate discretion. Our communications are professional, our findings are confidential, and we understand the delicate nature of inheritance notification.
📁 Common Heir Search Scenarios
Here are some typical situations where our heir search services help resolve estate administration challenges:
The Estranged Family Member
The decedent had a falling out with a sibling decades ago. They haven’t spoken since, and no one in the family knows where that sibling is now—or even if they’re still alive. We trace the estranged relative’s history and locate them (or their descendants if deceased) so they can receive their share of the estate.
The Blended Family
Decedent was married multiple times and had children from different relationships. Some of those children grew up with the other parent and have no connection to the decedent’s current family. We identify and locate all children regardless of their relationship with the decedent at the time of death.
The Intestate Estate
No will exists, and the decedent died without a spouse or children. Under intestate succession, the estate passes to more distant relatives—but who are they? We conduct genealogical research to identify heirs under your state’s intestate laws, then locate those individuals.
The Class Gift
The will leaves assets to “my brother’s children” or “my cousins”—but doesn’t name them individually. We identify all members of the class and locate them for notification and distribution.
The Name Change
A female heir married and changed her name. Another heir transitioned and uses a different name entirely. We trace individuals through name changes to confirm identity and locate them under their current legal name.
The Unknown Heir
The decedent fathered a child that no one in the family knew about. Or had a sibling who was given up for adoption. These unknown heirs may still have inheritance rights. We investigate family history to identify potential unknown heirs and locate them if found.
📝 What Information Do We Need?
To begin an heir search, please provide as much of the following information as available:
About the Decedent
- Full legal name (including maiden name if applicable)
- Date of birth and date of death
- Last known address
- Social Security Number (if available)
- Copy of death certificate
- Copy of will or trust (if any)
About Known Family
- Names and relationships of known family members
- Contact information for family members who might provide leads
- Any family tree information already compiled
- Names of deceased family members (parents, siblings, etc.)
About the Search Needed
- Specific heirs you need to locate (if known)
- Whether heir identification is needed (vs. just location)
- Any court deadlines or time constraints
- Specific documentation requirements for your jurisdiction
📞 Not Sure What You Need?
Every heir search is different. If you’re not sure what type of search you need or what information to provide, contact us for a free consultation. We’ll discuss your situation and recommend an appropriate approach.
💰 Pricing
Heir search pricing depends on the complexity of the search required:
Known Heir Location
$129 per heir – When you know who the heirs are and just need us to find them. Standard skip tracing to locate heirs and provide current contact information.
Complex Heir Search
Custom quote – When genealogical research is needed to identify heirs, when multiple generations must be traced, or when international research is required. Contact us with details about your case for a custom quote.
💡 No Percentage Fees
We charge flat fees for our services—never a percentage of the estate. This protects heirs from having their inheritance reduced and ensures our interests align with yours: finding the heirs efficiently and accurately.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Simple location searches (when heirs are already identified) typically take 24-72 hours. More complex searches involving genealogical research can take 1-4 weeks depending on the depth of research required and availability of records. We’ll provide a timeline estimate based on your specific situation.
If we’re unable to locate an heir, we provide a documented report of the search efforts conducted. This documentation can support affidavits of diligent search for court purposes. We’ll discuss whether additional search methods might be productive or whether the search has been reasonably exhausted.
Yes. We provide both heir identification (genealogical research to determine who the heirs are) and heir location (skip tracing to find identified heirs). Many cases require both services, which we handle as an integrated engagement.
No. We charge flat fees for our services—never a percentage of the inheritance. Some heir search companies charge 20-30% of the heir’s inheritance, which we believe creates conflicts of interest. Our flat-fee approach means heirs receive their full entitlement, and our focus is on efficient, accurate results.
Yes, we handle international heir searches. Research in foreign countries may take longer and may have different record availability depending on the country, but we have experience locating heirs in many international jurisdictions.
You’ll receive a comprehensive report including: identified heirs with their relationship to the decedent, current contact information for located heirs, source documentation supporting our findings, a family tree diagram when applicable, and a description of our search methodology. This documentation is designed to meet probate court requirements for due diligence.
We maintain client confidentiality. Our role is to locate heirs and provide their information to you—notification is handled by you or your client as appropriate for the matter. We do not contact heirs directly unless specifically requested and authorized to do so.
Yes. Heir verification is an important service to protect estates from fraudulent claims. We can research claimed relationships and verify identity to confirm (or refute) heir claims.
If our research determines there are no living heirs, we provide documentation supporting that conclusion for escheatment proceedings. Our documented search methodology demonstrates the due diligence conducted before assets escheat to the state.
For straightforward heir location (when heirs are already identified), you can order online. For complex heir searches requiring genealogical research, contact us to discuss your case. We’ll assess the situation and provide a quote tailored to your needs.
Need to Locate Missing Heirs?
Don’t let missing beneficiaries hold up estate administration. Our professional heir search services find the people you need to close the case.
Start Your Heir Search →Or call for a consultation: (916) 534-8005
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