Not being able to find the Heir to an Estate is no exception when Public Notaries and Estate Executors conduct their inquests to establish who is entitled to the inheritance. People move all the time in this day and age and not just within their home country; we are crossing international borders ever more frequently. It is also possible that the person you are looking for changed his or her name or at some point in his or her life decided to start over, ending ties with all family members. Or perhaps distant family members have grown apart through the generations, leaving them with no knowledge as to their consanguinity. In all these cases, settling an Estate will prove difficult.
How is a Notary Public or Estate Administrator supposed to find a living heir in Indonesia, Canada or South-Africa? A routine inquest will not suffice in these cases. Specialized research is necessary. This is where Luminis’ field of expertise begins. By means of Forensic Genealogical Research, access to and research in international databases, we are able to trace Heirs and other Beneficiaries in most all of the cases presented to us. We conduct many of our investigations within the European Union or the European Continent, but have proven to be successful outside of Europe as well, as we have recently completed projects in Indonesia, South-Africa and Canada amongst other countries in Asia, Africa and South-America. Luminis participates in a worldwide network of specialists in the fields of Genealogy, Private Investigation and Estate Settlement. This way we are able to provide you with best-in-class results and high grade service.
Through our intervention, in most cases, colleagues in the legal field have been able to prevent funds from being tranferred to the local equivalent of the Dutch ‘Consignatiekas’, governed by the Ministry of Finance. This is a governmental body that offers fiduciary services, at which point, after 20 years, without the Beneficiary claiming the money in the meantime, the funds will permanently fall to the State, leaving Rightful Heirs and other Beneficiaries behind without a penny.
Can we be of service? Please feel free to give us a call at +31 172 74 74 12 or contact us through the contact form. For more information, please visit www.erfgenamenonderzoek.nl. Luminis is more than happy to assist you in any matter with regard to Estate Settlement or (international) Inheritance Laws.