[mi] Sister Says Dad Left No Will Or Money, But I Found Records Of Accounts And Life Insurance

Location: Michigan, USA

My father died in April 2024 in Grand Rapids (Kent County), Michigan. He’d been living with my sister. I live abroad. He was divorced from my mother over 25 years ago and never remarried. My sister and I are his only children.

I flew back after he died. When I asked my sister about a will or the estate, she told me:

• He had no will.
  
• He had no money and had been living off her.
  
• So nothing needed to be done legally besides paying for the cremation.
  

She also gave us a handwritten, signed letter he’d left for both of us. In it he says he leaves his “meagre earthly possessions” to us both. I don’t remember whether it was dated. She kept the letter.

At the time I was severely depressed and had recently been hospitalized, so I accepted what she said. The only things I signed were the crematorium authorizations. I signed nothing related to his estate.

Looking back, it didn’t add up. My father was extremely careful with money and kept detailed financial records of everything in his life. My mother also says she’s sure he had a will.

Recently I found an old backup I made of his computer. It contains:

• A financial document, last edited in 2010, showing about $126,000 in savings, including a Bank of America account (I have the account number), a Wells Fargo IRA, and a Western National annuity worth about $35,000. It also shows Social Security income.

• A file titled “last letter,” addressed to my sister and me, saying “my inheritance is for you to split” and that he left a small life insurance policy for us, naming his agent.

I know the financial document is old. But he had almost no expenses while living with my sister (no car, no travel), so I find it hard to believe it was all gone by 2024.

I don’t know whether my sister had power of attorney or was a joint owner on any account. I haven’t raised any of this with her yet.

I’m unemployed, without stable housing, and can’t afford a lawyer.

Questions:

• How do I find out whether an estate was opened in Kent County, or a will filed?
• Can I find out who the beneficiaries were on the IRA, annuity and life insurance, and whether they’ve been paid out?
• If no estate was opened, should I open one myself? Can I do that from abroad?
• What deadlines apply? He died April 2024.
• Are there free or low-cost legal resources, or lawyers who’d take this on contingency?