We Find Missing Heirs A Better Way™
Protect your clients’ legacies and satisfy the courts with our clear, convincing reports and transparent, non-percentage-based fees.
WHO WE ARE
We Find Missing Heirs Through Forensic Genealogy
Since 1967, we’ve specialized in providing forensic genealogy services to the legal and trust professions.
Forensic genealogy is an analytical research method used to establish kinship for legal purposes. HeirSearch experts conduct thorough and unbiased research, complete with court-ready reporting and expert testimony.
At HeirSearch, we hold ourselves to the highest professional and ethical standards. We Find Missing Heirs A Better Way™.
WHAT WE DO
Search Services
Our reasonable, non-percentage-based fees are based on search type and always quoted in advance.
Estate
We use our professional expertise to identify, locate, prove and report known and unknown heirs or beneficiaries, both domestically and internationally.
Trust
We assist trustees, trust administrators, and their legal counsel in identifying and locating trust beneficiaries.
Notice
We help clients satisfy their fiduciary duty to notify heirs by supplying current contact information or documented due diligence search results for estate or trust matters.
Property
We identify, locate, prove, and report heirs, successors and assigns, or beneficiaries on matters related to Clear and Quiet Title Actions and Property Ownership.
Other Search Services
We also provide search services for class action suits, pension plans, mass tort plaintiffs, and heirs of wrongful deaths.
Contact HeirSearch Today for a Free Consultation
A BETTER WAY
Our Five-pillar Approach
Fulfill your fiduciary responsibility and satisfy the courts with our reasonable, non-percentage-based fees, authorized search services, 97% success rate, documented court-ready reports, and worldwide service.
Reasonable Non-Percentage-Based Fees
Our fees are quoted in advance and determined by a set fee schedule based on the type of search and your requirements – never as a percentage of the trust or estate.
Authorized Search Services
Significant windfall rewards are available for heir hunters, who frequently start unauthorized searches without client consent or contractual arrangement. Our reasonable fees are always quoted in advance, and we never initiate a search without client consent or contractual arrangement. Our experience has shown that courts look more favorably on agreements with heir search firms when the cost of the search is known in advance.
97% Success Rate Since 1967
Thanks to a combination of specialized education, training and experience, our research experts are highly qualified to find missing heirs and beneficiaries. Since 1967, this knowledge and expertise has resulted in an average success rate of 97%.
Documented Court-Ready Reports
Our final report provides clear and convincing evidence, suitable for an exhibit in court proceedings. All available supporting documentation is included in a concise, easy-to-read format.
Worldwide Service
HeirSearch has successfully located tens of thousands of missing heirs and lost beneficiaries in more than 65 countries. Our in-house knowledge and international expertise means we succeed where other search firms often fail.
WHO WE SERVE
Legal and Trust Professionals
Our satisfied clients include sole legal practitioners as well as some of the largest probate and estate planning law firms, financial institutions, private companies, and governmental agencies in North America.
Our extensive experience and worldwide resources mean that we can solve cases both simple and complex, domestically and internationally.
We always present our final reports with supporting documentation and sworn affidavits, to help our clients settle matters as quickly and as cost effectively as possible.
NEWS AND INSIGHTS
Explore Our Insights Hub for Resources and News
HeirSearch’s leadership regularly shares their expert insights.
What are Trust Modification Options in 2026
Trusts are often revisited as family, tax, and asset circumstances change, and services like HeirSearch can help locate missing or unknown heirs when modifying or terminating a trust.
Plenary Guardianship Alternatives
Plenary (or “full”) guardianship hands one person sweeping authority over another adult’s decisions. It can be necessary in rare cases, but unfortunately, this structure occasionally leaves the beneficiary open to financial abuse.
Consanguinity in American Trust and Estate Law 2026
Consanguinity remains a cornerstone of estate law, requiring professionals to navigate evolving family structures and state laws to determine rightful heirs.
2025 in Review: Clarity in an Era of Change
As 2025 ends, estate and trust professionals navigate evolving regulations while ensuring clear documentation of family relationships, intent, and ownership.
How to Advise Professional Athletes on Estate Planning Matters
Advising professional athletes requires strategies that protect privacy, preserve wealth, and safeguard heirs amid complex careers and high public exposure.
“The Smallest Memory”
Even the smallest memory can unlock the path to locating heirs—HeirSearch finds missing heirs a Better Way™.
Estate and Gift Planning Month 2025
October is here, and for us at HeirSearch, we’re honored to, once again, join The Financial Awareness Foundation in advocating for a cause that matters deeply to legal and trust professionals: Estate & Gift Planning Awareness Month. Our enduring commitment to partnering with The Financial Awareness Foundation is about building the financial literacy that underpins […]
Estate Planning and Transfer-on-Death Deeds
Transfer on Death deeds can help families pass homes efficiently, but estate professionals must understand their limitations to guide clients effectively.
Digital Assets and Estate Planning in 2025
Digital assets have become a key part of modern wealth, requiring estate and trust professionals to navigate evolving regulations and ensure secure, informed transfer planning.
The Critical Role Of Heir Search Firms In The Probate Process
Heir search firms help probate professionals fulfill their fiduciary duties by accurately locating heirs, mitigating risks, and ensuring equitable estate distribution.
How the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” Impacts Estate Planning in 2025
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 introduces major estate planning changes, offering estate and trust professionals an opportunity to adjust strategies for high-net-worth clients.
Consanguinity Chart Walk-Through
HeirSearch demonstrates how legal professionals can use consanguinity to accurately establish heirs and satisfy court requirements.
Affiliations and Partners
Contact Us for a Quote
Looking for A Better Way to find missing heirs? Get in touch with us today and we will provide a free quote based on the scope of your search.