Tuesday,
April 15, 2003
REGISTER IANNELLA
ISSUES NEW LIST OF MISSING HEIRS; THOUSANDS LEFT IN WILLS AND
ESTATES TO HEIRS OF PARTS UNKNOWN:
Suffolk
County Register of Probate Richard Iannella has issued a new
list of ‘missing heirs’ to money currently held at the
Registry. Since issuing the first list and beginning to
actively search for these heirs more than a year ago, Iannella
has distributed more than $150,000 to those who made
legitimate claims to the funds. Nearly $1/2-million in all
still awaits distribution to rightful heirs included on the
current list.
“The
people who have claimed funds were surprised to get a call
from us or see their name on our Web site, and they were even
more surprised to find out a loved-one or friend had left them
a substantial amount of money in their will when they died,”
said Iannella. “In one instance, $3,000 left to each of
three grandchildren three decades ago had more than quadrupled
because of bank interest, and after we found them, each
grandchild was given nearly $13,000.”
These
funds ended up in the custody of the Registry of Probate
because of legal action that took place at one time or another
in Suffolk County Probate and Family Court. Those actions
include the probating of a will, holding of money in escrow
because of a divorce or other dispute, and depositing of funds
to be given to a minor once they come of age. In order to
complete their responsibilities, the executors of the will
left the money with the Registry, and Register Iannella is now
responsible for maintenance of the accounts and must find any
potential heirs.
“Few
of the current cases involve small dollar amounts, and
thousands of dollars are due many of the people on the new
‘missing heirs’ list. In one case, several members of one
family have nearly $20,000 coming to each of them,” he said.
Information
about these accounts and the missing heirs currently being
sought is available at Register Iannella’s Internet Web
site. The address is www.probatecourtiannella.com.
“Usually,
government is looking to collect, but this is one case where
we’re looking to give out,” said Iannella.
