Disclaimer: This article provides general information about Virginia probate law and is not legal advice. Consult an attorney for your specific situation.
Detailed Answer
Under Virginia law, any interested person may require a personal representative (PR) to render an accounting of the estate’s administration. Code of Virginia § 64.2-1514 states: “Any person interested in the estate may require the personal representative,… to render a just and true account… within such time as the court may allow.”
When you formally request an accounting, the PR must prepare and deliver it. Typically, the court allows 30 days from the date of the request. The PR must file the accounting with the court clerk and provide you with a copy. If the PR fails to comply, you may petition the court for an order compelling production of the account under § 64.2-1514. If the court grants your petition, the PR can face removal or surcharge for noncompliance.
Note that probate records, including filed accounts, are public records. You may also obtain copies directly from the clerk’s office under Virginia’s public records laws, without waiting for the PR.
For more details, see § 64.2-1514 on the Code of Virginia website: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title64.2/chapter15/section64.2-1514/.
Helpful Hints
- Identify yourself as an “interested person” (beneficiary, heir, or creditor).
- Send your request in writing and keep proof of delivery.
- Track deadlines: allow the PR the full time permitted by the court.
- If the PR ignores your request, prepare a petition to compel an accounting under § 64.2-1514.
- You can also request copies from the probate clerk’s office directly.