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You are going to need a lawyer.  Did she have a Dominican will? That's the starting point. A search for property may still require going area by area as all is not yet digital.

Not sure bank accounts are easier either. For sure you will need probated will documents.

It's a great question.  Personally, I know nothing on the topic.

But, I think it a fair point to make for all readers of this thread: 

1. If you own or plan to own ANY real estate in the DR, or
2. You have a bank account (or two, three or four),
3. You have any other assets or liabilities (car, personal loans, investment accounts, or whatever), then
4. YOU REALLY NEED TO MAKE AN ESTATE PLAN FOR YOUR DR ASSETS OR LIABILITIES. 

We haven't yet gotten to the point where we've prepared a Will for the DR (which would have to be translated into Spanish and registered somewhere or other, I'm sure).

We have prepared very detailed summaries of ALL our assets (including bank and/or investment accounts), liabilities and important relationships in the DR (and the rest of the world, of course), to include all account numbers and passwords.  Our heirs will receive those documents immediately upon the reading of our Will(s). 

Should we decide to purchase any property in the DR, of course, preparing a DR-valid Will would rise to the top of our agenda.

1. And I note that even signing a purchase contract for real estate, would probably require a good Will to be prepared. 
2. The last thing our heirs need is a surprise call from the DR demanding payment on an overdue loan or purchase contract.

I probably need to give Lishali a call -- I'm not sure whether she does work in the Wills & Estates areas.  If she does, she'd be my first choice, of course. 

Jim

º£½ÇÂÒÂ×Rusher

This needs to be covered here.

You need a will HERE based on the laws here. A will written elsewhere then translated may not be legal here! 

Get a good lawyer here and get the will written here and registered here!  Your will from elsewhere MAY work but it will take years of legal hassles and money to get it validated!!!  Don't do this to those left behind!

It's not expensive to do a will. Make sure at least one of your executors speaks Spanish and lives here. Will make it easier in the long run!

You may also want a medical power of attorney!

As far as I know Lishali does do work in this area!

Hello!

I don't have a will from my aunt; I've been recognized as her heir by a court in the United States.

I don't know the exact address of the property in the Dominican Republic. I don't know the bank account number or the exact amount.

What should I do in this situation?

I can't see any way to accomplish this without, as Planner recommended, hiring a lawyer. I don't know your citizenship or your late aunt's, but at least two jurisdictions are involved (one that declared you the heir, another where the property is located, which may or may not agree that you are the heir), with the DR being the critical one. Lishali Baez (lishalibaez.com) is often recommended here; she and her staff speak excellent English, and in the unlikely event that she doesn't do this kind of law, she could refer you to someone. Good luck!