Advice about rights & mother's estate

[harmony52]

I live in the state of Missouri. My mother died one year ago. We had been estranged for many years. I was never formally notified of my mother's death, though my niece informed me. My brother sent me a check for $500 from my mother's estate without any sort of note or comment. I know that other assets of my mother's have been dispersed in terms of her material possessions and money. My siblings and my niece have received money and possessions from my mother's estate. Because I am not interested in creating ill will, I have not contacted my siblings and asked about any will or how decisions about the estate have been made. However, a recent serious financial problem has left me, for the first time in my life, facing the possibility of bankruptcy (I'm 55 and always been cautious; this was sudden and unforseen) and if I'm entitled to anything from my mother's estate, it would help me out. Also, I recently learned that my sister has my grandfather's musical instruments sitting unused in her basement and since I am a musician, I would like to have access to them, although I don't feel a need to "own" them. I don't know whether I should contact a lawyer, I do not want to create a lot of upset and expense in a family that already has had a lot of problems. However, I'm also wondering if I'm entitled to part of my mother's estate, how I can find out how decisions are being made, are they being made legally, and how I can have some access to my grandfather's instruments. How can I go about this most diplomatically? My siblings don't really talk to me but my niece does.

 

[seniorjudge]

Q: How can I go about this most diplomatically?

A: Go to the courthouse where the estate was probated and pay for a copy of the entire file.