"We were both in our 60s and had no health problems that were about to kill us any time soon, but our parents had recently died, so end of life issues were on our minds. Plus everyone knows writing a will is the responsible thing to do. We'd talked to lawyers. While I considered my friend a close one, we didn't have many friends in common. I knew he had a brother and sister."
"If you're named in the will, you should be notified. When someone dies, their will usually goes through something called probate, which is a process where assets are settled. At this point, the executor of the will-the person named to carry it out-is required to notify all beneficiaries. This notification typically comes by regular mail, and it might be certified, depending on the state."
A friend revealed a will naming the correspondent as a beneficiary shortly before dying unexpectedly. The correspondent learned of the death from a mutual friend and does not know will details, the executor, or the inheritance amount. Probate is the normal process after death, during which the executor is obligated to notify all beneficiaries. Notification usually arrives by regular mail and may be sent certified depending on state rules. Beneficiaries generally do not need to contact grieving relatives to learn about the will, and named beneficiaries should be informed in a timely manner.
Read at Slate Magazine
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