When a loved one passes away, their estate typically goes through a legal process called probate. It should be a system that helps ensure fairness and legal accountability. But what happens when the very person trusted to oversee the estate—the administrator—manipulates the system for personal gain?
Unfortunately, estate theft during probate isn’t as rare as it should be. Some administrators exploit their role, particularly when beneficiaries aren’t watching closely or don’t understand their rights.
Undervaluing or hiding assets
One of the most common tactics is hiding or undervaluing estate assets. This might involve failing to disclose valuable property like jewelry, antiques or even real estate. In some cases, an administrator might work with an appraiser to lowball asset values, then later acquire them for themselves or sell them to associates for a fraction of their worth.
You can stay ahead of an unscrupulous administrator by keeping detailed inventories and appraisals, especially if you had access to the estate before the probate process. Request accountings and compare reported values to your own knowledge or outside evaluations.
Misusing estate funds
Administrators have access to the estate’s bank accounts and often handle all monetary transactions. A dishonest administrator might siphon funds under the guise of reimbursement for expenses, assuming no one is checking. You should demand regular, itemized financial reports to keep the administrator on the straight and narrow.
Delaying the probate process intentionally
A crooked administrator may continue to benefit from estate assets longer than necessary by dragging out the probate process. For example, they can continue living rent-free in a house that should’ve been sold or distributed to heirs.
Some even collect interest or dividends during the delay while pretending the process is “just taking time.” You should enlist legal guidance to better understand how long the probate process should take from start to completion. If the process seems unusually slow without legitimate legal delays, push for court intervention.
The probate process is meant to distribute a deceased person’s estate according to their wishes—not to line the pockets of a dishonest administrator. As a beneficiary, you have the right to ask questions, request documentation and challenge suspicious activity. If you suspect fraud or theft, enlist legal guidance to preserve your loved one’s legacy and help ensure justice is served.
