Undisclosed Heir

An undisclosed heir is anyone who claims a piece of property after the owner's death without a will. Most of these claims are cleared during the probate process. However, on occasion, someone will step forward years later and make such a claim. They will file a claim on the property, and this requires the current land owner to handle the situation. A title search can often uncover the presence of potential undisclosed heirs. During a title search, the title company examines past land deed transfers. They make sure that every party to a land purchase has signed off on the subsequent sale of the land. If there is any question, the title company will raise a red flag. Often, the current owner of the property can resolve the situation, and the current land sale can go through.