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My uncle recently passed away within a couple of months of learning he had Stage 4 lung cancer. Within days of his diagnosis, my aunt (his sister) immediately went to his home with a lawyer/personal friend. A will was written naming one of her daughters as sole beneficiary. I saw the will and even though I am no lawyer, it didn't make any sense. There was no mention of the daughter he fathered years ago and the wording was something to the effect there were no children born to him on or after the date the will was drawn up. Although my uncle had no part of the child's life for reasons known only to him and the girl's mother, she is his heir and it's a glaring omission in this will. He never paid child support as far as I know, but the girl's mother asked him to let her know when he began to draw Social Security so their daughter could receive benefits as well since she would have still been a minor. I feel as though my uncle's sister took extreme advantage of my uncle and his very vulnerable state of mind. I have nothing to gain, and this sounds terrible, but I cannot stand the thought of that woman & her daughter benefiting so tremendously, yet so deceptively. When my dad asked about the daughter & not even getting an honorable mention, he was met with stony silence and all contact has been stopped. He called the Social Security office and was told he would need his SS # to proceed. He doesn't have that. Any suggestions?

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The death certificate would have the social security number. The DC could be found at the vital records department in the county where the death occurred. 
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but why would he draw a will, with 'this' info?
you said:
There was no mention of the daughter he fathered years ago and the wording was something to the effect there were no children born to him on or after the date the will was drawn up.
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drewxjacobs Jul 2018
Once my uncle's sister figured out he had a terminal illness, she brought in the lawyer friend to draw up a will at my uncle's home. The lawyer's area of expertise is in real estate and it shows in the wording of the will. It made no sense but my uncle wasn't in the right state of mind to question anything. He had quite literally learned he had a terminal illness & as anyone would be, most likely reeling from that news and probably not thinking about the legalities. The error is on the attorney that drew it up. I don't think he knew what he was doing & leaves it wide open for the daughter to challenge it IF & this is a big if, she can be located and informed of her father's death of which she should be.

I don't know why the girl's mother didn't want my uncle to be a part of her life, perhaps she just wanted a sperm donor, but that doesn't change the fact my uncle died, left a fairly sizable estate of which she is entitled.

I wish I had had the conversation with my uncle before he passed about his wishes regarding his daughter. I always felt like it was a painful subject for him (not getting to help raise his only child) and never broached the subject before.
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Your uncle's SSN will be a matter of public record with his death. Death certificates are public records and usually include the SSN - even if it doesn't SSA publishes a quarterly death list that includes SSN.

The will needs to be probated - call you local county clerk's office and find out when the will appears on the docket - show up and inform the judge about the daughter. Or prepare an affidavit and deliver it to the clerk.
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drewxjacobs Jul 2018
Thank you for the info. I gave my dad these suggestions and he is on it. It is such a shame the way all of this has worked out. I think my dad was in some sort of denial about his sister & niece, but no more. His sister has done this kind of thing before with their parents' estate, yet she is such a phony poser. She is always quoting scriptures & screwing someone over at the same time. My dad feels like he lost his brother and his sister all in the same week.
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I wonder if one of the ancestry sites would be helpful in getting her name and location? Or go to a local congressman to see if their office could help you track her down. Do you know her name or her mom's name? If so, I'd look on Facebook and Google them both. Go to LinkedIn if either of them might still be working. Also, try familysearch.org . 
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