It was a referral from a long time client. His brother was named executor of their aunt's estate and the lawyer told him to get an accounting done. The aunt was not married and had no children. There are 13 beneficiares (some 501(c)(3) charities). No single beneficiary is getting more than 10%. The net estate was worth about 2.2 million dollars.
The executor helped himself to about $350,000 in the form of overpaying his executor's fee but mostly by taking checks to cash that amount to about $270K. He told me he had to pay the contractors cash to fix up the home for sale, but the checks continued for a year and a half after the house was sold. I am 95% sure he stole it.
My question is this...I have done the accounting and he will take it to the attorney for the final payouts. Is the attorney required to provide beneficiaries with an accounting? Am I required to do anything more than provide the executor with the accounting. I was hired and paid by the executor. I have never spoken to the attorney. Is my job finished once the accounting is finished? Or, am I required to say anything to anyone?
I have not released the accounting yet.