Tuesday,
March 29, 2005
REGISTER
OF PROBATE IANNELLA ISSUES LATEST LIST OF ‘MISSING HEIRS’;
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS LEFT TO RIGHTFUL HEIRS OF PARTS UNKNOWN:
Suffolk
County Register of Probate Richard Iannella has issued an
updated list of ‘missing heirs’ to funds currently held at
the Registry. Since issuing the first list and beginning to
actively search for these heirs several years ago, Iannella
has distributed nearly $200,000 to those who made legitimate
claims to the funds. About a half-million dollars in all still
awaits distribution to rightful heirs included on the current
list.
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, funds left to defer
future burial expenses, 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,” Iannella
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 instance
where we’re looking to give out,” said Iannella.
