A situation recently arose that I want to share so that you will not have this problem. A client's last surviving parent died and they were unable to locate a Last Will and Testament or Living Trust document.They knew their parents had been to an attorney to do estate planning but had no idea where the documents were located. The safe deposit box at their local bank was an obvious place to look. However, it was in the name of the parents only, both of whom were now deceased. The attorney was no longer in practice. The bank will not allow the grown children to look in the safe deposit box without a court order. We had to file a Petition with the Probate Court to allow the bank officer to open the safe deposit box, inventory the contents, and send a Will, if found, to the Probate Court. The lesson here is when you go to the expense and trouble of preparing your own Last Will and Testament, Living Trust, or beneficiary deed, let your loved ones know where these documents are located. Better yet, add on the Personal Representative named in the Will or Successor Trustee of your Living Trust to the safe deposit box. If you keep your important papers in a safe at home, be sure to let someone know where the key is.