# Clueless
**URL:** https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/clueless/5927
**Category:** Barnett Shale
**Created:** [November 17, 2015, 3:57pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/clueless/5927 "2015-11-17T15:57:12Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Shelia\_Rae](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/Shelia_Rae)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2015, 3:57pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/clueless/5927/1 "2015-11-17T15:57:12Z")
I am now my mother’s designated heir and trying to unravel monies (I have a lawyer). I can’t find where past royalties have gone to, as now I am holding a tax bucket with nothing to put into it to even start paying. I’m not getting any advice from Jan in Stephenville or even my lawyer who says I have to do this myself. Any ideas? Someone, anyone?
---
### Author:  [@Roxane\_Thomas](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/Roxane_Thomas)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/clueless/5927/2 "2015-11-17T16:17:22Z")
What exactly is it that your lawyer says you have to do by yourself? Do you have a lease?
---
### Author:  [@Shelia\_Rae](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/Shelia_Rae)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/clueless/5927/3 "2015-11-17T16:47:26Z")
That I have to contact the companies myself and resolve it myself - it is my mother’s lease - that I had to spend $1,800 for filing affidavit of heirship (lawyer). All I now have is 40 pieces of paper - I’m frustrated. What concerns me is if I was presented paperwork for taxes since 2010 - where are the royalties? I looked on unclaimed property but only $144 is there. I did contact the gas companies, not much of a response. There was a bank account that deposits were being made to; I contacted them, they closed it but did not forward the contents of the account. Then learned there was a debit for an insurance policy - contacted that company and they have no record of my mother anywhere. I did email my lawyer and told them to do more than send paper as I am in MA (stuck here) and can’t show up raising hell and getting things done. As I said, I am extremely frustrated. My mother died in 2007.
---
### Author:  [@Kitchen](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/Kitchen)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2015, 6:52pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/clueless/5927/4 "2015-11-17T18:52:20Z")
$1,800 to file an affidavit of heirship is quite hefty, and may not resolve your problem at all.
Step 1 is to identify which properties your mother owned.
Step 2 is to determine which properties have active leases.
Step 3 is to determine who operates the active leases.
Step 4 is to contact the operator of each active lease to notify them that she has passed and you are an heir.
Are you the only heir? Was there any will or probate filed in court? Some companies may not pay you just for providing an affidavit of heirship.
Normally, when minerals are in production, there should be property taxes due in each county for the owner of any royalty or mineral interest on an active lease. County tax records are one way to start a simple search to find active leases and the operator of them.
---
### Author:  [@Rock\_Man](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/Rock_Man)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2015, 6:54pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/clueless/5927/5 "2015-11-17T18:54:31Z")
If you can share info on where your property is and who the operator of the well is (or any ID info on the well / lease), I can do some looking for well and production details.
---
### Author:  [@Shelia\_Rae](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/Shelia_Rae)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2015, 7:45pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/clueless/5927/6 "2015-11-27T19:45:30Z")
Ok, I have since found the 6 wells and who owns what, and this was determined by the tax bill I was presented that was delinquent, so I paid it. But at this point, I paid for something that has no monies forthcoming. One such representative has told me “it’s in the mail,” mailed on the 16th of this month, even sent an electronic image of it. As for the 1800 I spent, that was the cheapest offer. The royalties are extremely modest and I’m sort of kicking myself for even getting involved, and the wells are playing out.
Thank you for your reply.
---
### Author:  [@system](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2018, 11:26pm UTC](https://www.mineralrightsforum.com/t/clueless/5927/7 "2018-08-14T23:26:17Z")