{"id":18729,"date":"2026-10-21T11:54:26","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T00:54:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chuatan.com.au\/?p=18729"},"modified":"2026-10-21T17:33:25","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T06:33:25","slug":"missing-beneficiary-executor-options-victoria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chuatan.com.au\/en\/missing-beneficiary-executor-options-victoria\/","title":{"rendered":"When a Beneficiary Cannot Be Found, or Will Not Respond: Options for Executors"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"ct-article\" data-no-translation>\n<p>Everything is ready: probate is granted, the house is sold and most beneficiaries have been paid. One share remains. That beneficiary lives overseas, has moved, or simply does not answer letters. The executor cannot finish the estate, and remains personally liable if the money goes to the wrong person.<\/p>\n<p>This is common in families spread across Australia and Asia. The good news is that executors have several options.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Step 1: Show that you have looked properly<\/h2>\n<p>Every option below depends on the executor having made reasonable enquiries. Keep a written record of each step:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>contacting relatives, friends and former employers;<\/li>\n<li>checking social media, professional registers and online directories;<\/li>\n<li>writing to every known address, including by registered post and email;<\/li>\n<li>placing advertisements, including in the country where the person was last known to live;<\/li>\n<li>for larger shares, engaging a professional tracing agent.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>What is &#8220;reasonable&#8221; depends on the size of the share. The court does not expect an executor to spend more on searching than the inheritance is worth.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Step 2: Give statutory notice<\/h2>\n<p>Under the <em>Trustee Act 1958<\/em> (Vic), an executor can publish a notice of intended distribution. Once the period in the notice expires, the executor can distribute having regard only to the claims they know about. This protects against unknown claims. It does not protect an executor who ignores a beneficiary they already know exists.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Step 3: Choose how to deal with the share<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Hold the share.<\/strong> The executor keeps it invested and pays it out if the person appears. Best suited to short delays, or where the person is likely to resurface.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Missing beneficiary insurance.<\/strong> An insurer covers the executor if the person later claims. Best suited to modest shares, where a court application would cost too much.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Benjamin order.<\/strong> The Supreme Court permits distribution as if the beneficiary had died, protecting the executor. Best suited to larger shares, or where the person has been missing for years.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Court directions.<\/strong> The court tells the executor how to deal with the share. Best suited to unusual facts, or where beneficiaries disagree.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A Benjamin order comes from an English case of 1902 and is regularly made by Australian Supreme Courts. It protects the executor personally. A beneficiary who later reappears may still have a claim against the people who received the money.<\/p>\n\n<h2>When the beneficiary is known but silent<\/h2>\n<p>A beneficiary who is located but refuses to respond is in a different position. Their silence cannot hold up the estate forever. The executor should write clearly, setting out the entitlement, the steps required (such as identity documents and bank details) and a reasonable deadline. Explain that the executor will otherwise seek court directions to hold or pay the share. Translation into the beneficiary&#8217;s language often helps. Cost-effective service overseas, without expensive local process servers, can sometimes be arranged.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Avoiding the problem<\/h2>\n<p>Will-makers can help by keeping contact details for overseas beneficiaries with their Will, and by giving executors express powers to deal with untraceable beneficiaries.<\/p>\n<h2>Related reading<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"ct-related\"><li><a href=\"\/en\/inheriting-australian-property-foreign-resident\/\">Inheriting Australian Property When You Live Overseas<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/en\/will-valid-overseas-australia\/\">Is My Will Valid Overseas? Australian Wills, Foreign Wills and Assets in More Than One Country<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/en\/when-to-update-your-will-australia\/\">When Should You Update Your Will? Marriage, Divorce and Other Life Changes in Australia<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<p><em>Chua Tan Associates assists executors with estate administration across Australia and Asia. To arrange a confidential consultation, please contact our Melbourne office on +61 3 9602 3988 or submit an <a href=\"#ct-enquiry\">enquiry<\/a>. Advice is available in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"ct-byline\"><em><a href=\"\/en\/justin-chua\/\">Justin Chua<\/a> (\u8521\u667a\u52cb), lawyer and mediator, Chua Tan Associates, Melbourne. General information only, not legal or tax advice. Victorian law unless stated otherwise.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"ct-enquiry\" class=\"ct-eq\" data-no-translation>\r\n<style>.ct-eq{background:#f4f1ea;border:1px solid #e3ddd0;border-radius:10px;padding:22px 24px;margin:32px 0;font-size:16px;line-height:1.6}.ct-eq h2,.ct-eq h3{margin:0 0 6px}.ct-eq p{margin:0 0 12px}.ct-eq form{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:12px}.ct-eq label{display:block;font-size:14px;font-weight:600;margin-bottom:4px}.ct-eq input,.ct-eq select,.ct-eq textarea{width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;padding:10px 12px;border:1px solid #cfc6b4;border-radius:6px;font-size:16px;background:#fff}.ct-eq .full{grid-column:1\/-1}.ct-eq button{background:#8a6a3b;color:#fff;border:0;border-radius:6px;padding:12px 22px;font-size:16px;cursor:pointer}.ct-eq .hp{position:absolute;left:-9999px}.ct-eq small{color:#5f5a50}.ct-eq .ok{background:#e7f3e8;border-left:4px solid #3c8d40;padding:12px 16px}.ct-eq .bad{background:#fbeaea;border-left:4px solid #b03a2e;padding:12px 16px}.ct-eq .ct-direct{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:10px;margin-top:14px}.ct-eq .ct-direct a,.ct-eq .ct-direct button{background:#fff;color:#2b2b2b;border:1px solid #cfc6b4;padding:9px 14px;border-radius:6px;text-decoration:none;font-size:15px}@media(max-width:640px){.ct-eq form{grid-template-columns:1fr}}<\/style>\r\n<h3>Tell us about the estate<\/h3>\r\n<p>A short message is enough. We reply in English, Mandarin or Cantonese, and quote fees in writing before any work starts.<\/p>\r\n<form method=\"post\" action=\"https:\/\/chuatan.com.au\/wp-admin\/admin-post.php\">\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"action\" value=\"ct_estate_enquiry\">\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"ct_ts\" value=\"1792778968\">\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"ct_lang\" value=\"en\">\r\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"ct_page\" value=\"https:\/\/chuatan.com.au\/en\/missing-beneficiary-executor-options-victoria\/\">\r\n<div class=\"hp\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><label>Website<input type=\"text\" name=\"ct_website\" tabindex=\"-1\" autocomplete=\"off\"><\/label><\/div>\r\n<div><label for=\"ct_name\">Your name *<\/label><input id=\"ct_name\" name=\"ct_name\" required maxlength=\"120\"><\/div>\r\n<div><label for=\"ct_email\">Email<\/label><input id=\"ct_email\" name=\"ct_email\" type=\"email\" maxlength=\"160\"><\/div>\r\n<div><label for=\"ct_phone\">Phone, WeChat or WhatsApp<\/label><input id=\"ct_phone\" name=\"ct_phone\" maxlength=\"80\"><\/div>\r\n<div><label for=\"ct_language\">Preferred language<\/label><select id=\"ct_language\" name=\"ct_language\"><option>English<\/option><option>Mandarin<\/option><option>Cantonese<\/option><\/select><\/div>\r\n<div><label for=\"ct_type\">What do you need help with?<\/label><select id=\"ct_type\" name=\"ct_type\"><option value=\"\">Please choose<\/option><option>Someone has died and there is a Will<\/option><option>Someone has died and there is no Will<\/option><option>Someone has died and I am not sure if there is a Will<\/option><option>Making or updating a Will or estate plan<\/option><option>Executor or trustee question<\/option><option>A dispute about an estate<\/option><option>Other<\/option><\/select><\/div>\r\n<div><label for=\"ct_state\">Where are the assets?<\/label><select id=\"ct_state\" name=\"ct_state\"><option value=\"\">Please choose<\/option><option>Victoria<\/option><option>New South Wales<\/option><option>Queensland<\/option><option>Western Australia<\/option><option>South Australia<\/option><option>Tasmania<\/option><option>ACT<\/option><option>Northern Territory<\/option><option>More than one state<\/option><option>Overseas as well<\/option><option>Not sure<\/option><\/select><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"full\"><label for=\"ct_time\">Best time to contact you (optional)<\/label><input id=\"ct_time\" name=\"ct_time\" maxlength=\"120\"><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"full\"><label for=\"ct_msg\">Brief details (optional)<\/label><textarea id=\"ct_msg\" name=\"ct_msg\" rows=\"4\" maxlength=\"3000\"><\/textarea><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"full\"><button type=\"submit\">Send enquiry<\/button><br><small>We use your details only to respond to your enquiry. Sending this form does not create a lawyer\u2013client relationship. <a href=\"\/privacy-policy\/\">Privacy<\/a><\/small><\/div>\r\n<\/form>\r\n<div class=\"ct-direct\"><strong style=\"width:100%\">Or contact us directly<\/strong>\r\n<a href=\"tel:+61396023988\">Call +61 3 9602 3988<\/a>\r\n<a href=\"mailto:chuatan@tpg.com.au\">chuatan@tpg.com.au<\/a>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/wa.me\/61490369102\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WhatsApp +61 490 369 102<\/a>\r\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"ct-wechat\" data-msg=\"WeChat ID copied\">WeChat: chuatan262<\/button>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\t\n\n<div class=\"ct-guides\" data-no-translation><style>.ct-guides{margin:28px 0}.ct-guides ul{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(230px,1fr));gap:10px;list-style:none;padding:0;margin:10px 0 0}.ct-guides li{margin:0}.ct-guides a{display:block;padding:12px 14px;border:1px solid #e3ddd0;border-radius:6px;text-decoration:none;background:#fff;height:100%}<\/style><h3>Estate guides<\/h3><ul><li><a href=\"\/en\/do-i-need-probate\/\">Do I need probate? 2-minute check<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/en\/what-to-do-when-someone-dies\/\">What to do when someone dies: 30-day checklist<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/en\/letters-of-administration-victoria\/\">No Will? Letters of administration and who inherits<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/en\/estate-planning-victoria\/\">Estate planning: Will, power of attorney, medical decisions<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/en\/testamentary-trusts\/\">Testamentary trusts<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/en\/superannuation-and-your-will\/\">Superannuation and your Will<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/en\/executor-disputes\/\">Executor problems and disputes<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/en\/professional-executor-trustee\/\">Professional executor &amp; trustee services<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/en\/%E5%AE%A2%E6%88%B7%E8%AF%84%E4%BB%B7\/\">Client reviews<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Everything is ready: probate is granted, the house is s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,787516595],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18729","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-25","category-cross-border-families"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.2 (Yoast SEO v28.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>When a Beneficiary Cannot Be Found, or Will Not Respond: Options for Executors | Chua Tan Associates<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"An estate cannot be finalised while one beneficiary is missing or silent. 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