One of the responsibilities of a personal representative is to communicate with beneficiaries. As a beneficiary, you should be informed about the estate and the probate process. Further, the personal representative should provide satisfactory answers when you ask a question.
So, when should you be concerned about communication?
When the personal representative doesn’t notify you that you are a beneficiary
In Texas, a personal representative is required to give notice to each beneficiary named in the will provided they know their identity and address or, through reasonable diligence, they can find this information.
This notice confirms that you have been named in the will as a beneficiary. You should receive it within 60 days after the will is admitted to probate. If you don’t receive a notice after the 60th day, you may need to be concerned.
If you are a beneficiary in a will but the personal representative doesn’t know your identity and address after the 60th day, they are required to send you the notice as soon as possible after becoming aware of that information.
Failing to respond to you promptly
If you ask a personal representative a question, they should respond promptly. If they don’t have a detailed answer, they can ask you to give them time before responding. It may be alarming if a personal representative refuses to respond on time or altogether.
A personal representative doesn’t have to inform beneficiaries of all their moves. However, they should keep beneficiaries reasonably informed. If you believe the personal representative of your loved one’s estate is not offering clear communication, learn more about your options to protect the estate.