For everyone dealing with trying to figure out a deceased relative's affairs, I feel your pain. My parents created a joint trust to protect their assets. When asked they swore everything was in the trust less the cars. They had moved the house and all their stock holdings and everything was ready to avoid a long drawn out probate. Well, they failed to keep the signed copies of any of the wills created in the Trust. So, luckily, I found wills create 11 years prior. At least we are entering Probate with a will. But, they sort of forgot to file the quit claim on the house to move it into the trust. Hence, we are going into probate instead of filing a simple small estate form to cover a 14 year old car.
No matter how disrespectful, it may seem, ask to see the signed documents, make copies, and then ask exactly where they are going to keep them (what bank's safe deposit box that you are a signer to access).
At least my father will leave a paper trail in the probate system for future generations.....
