SMEETS | Heir research
aims at tracking down heirs and their descendants or persons entitled to a bequest or life insurance payment – thus allowing estate matters to be settled. Besides this, we can also trace relatives in order to reunite them with their family or track down lost persons whose whereabouts are unknown. Sometimes our investigation, often on a genealogical basis, has to prove whether an unknown person can or cannot file a legitimate claim for rights.
Furthermore, on behalf of heirs and other entitled persons we can claim their rights. On a contract basis, we act as their representative to ensure their rights in South America, Europe, or worldwide if necessary.
Our service also includes tracking down crucial information about persons presumed dead. Amongst other things to prove that goods are to be considered having no owner and therefore will be allocated to a different person or persons than those initially entitled. Often these are public bodies demanding that an estate, in the absence of an heir, must revert to the State. Our research allows the tracing of heirs who otherwise would lose their claim for an estate, because of the claim made by the State.
The research necessary to establish the succession of an estate on behalf of the heirs has our special attention. Who, for instance, will inherit the assets of a testator with descendants in Latin America whose addresses are unknown? And how is an heir, if found, to claim his rights to an estate, even if the deceased didn’t leave a will? Also, deceased in South America could leave assets in Europe or elsewhere, that need to be allocated on behalf of the heirs, and they will need legal assistance for their international claim, to guarantee a correct allocation of the estate.
In our search, we prefer a direct approach to the people that we have traced. If this turns out to be impossible, we will contact persons in their immediate vicinity. At any time we will act unobtrusively and we will take into consideration the confidential aspects of the assignment concerned.
For estate matters, we find heirs, certificates and more