034: Hidden Assets & Missing Heirs with M. Jason Ross

Ever wonder how professional fiduciaries play detective to track down heirs and uncover hidden assets? In this episode, Sam sits down with M. Jason Ross, a licensed professional fiduciary with Kaalund Professional Fiduciary and Trustee Services, to break down the investigative side of probate administration. From using tools like Spokeo to cross-search social media platforms, to pulling six months of pre-death bank statements, Jason shares the real-world strategies that surface assets most people never think to look for. Jason also covers unclaimed property searches, including one case where a simple search turned up nearly $70,000, and how insurance policy locators can identify policies even when beneficiaries don't know which company holds them. If probate asset searches have ever left you feeling lost, this episode is your roadmap. In this episode, you will hear: How professional fiduciaries use tools like Spokeo to locate missing heirs across social media platforms Why online directories and public records searches work best with more than just a name Pulling six months of pre-death bank statements to uncover unknown accounts and financial activity Using payment apps like Venmo as a trail to identify family members and financial relationships How unclaimed property searches can yield surprising results — sometimes tens of thousands of dollars The insurance policy locator as a tool for finding life insurance and annuities beneficiaries didn't know existed Resources from this Episode https://www.kaalundfiduciary.com/ The 6-Stage Probate Process: How to Navigate California Probate: https://a.co/d/82310Rw  Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.