What can the beneficiary or creditor do under probate tracing?

• A. To appeal a will
• B. To contest probate
• C. Beneficiary or creditor may trace and recover property from a personal representative
• D. To enforce executor duties

Answer: (C)

Probate tracing is about following assets that originated in the estate to see where they ended up and then recovering them from the person who holds them. The key point is that a personal representative is in a fiduciary position and must preserve the estate for the beneficiaries. If they misapply or dispose of estate assets, tracing allows the beneficiary or creditor to identify those assets and claim them back, or to recover their value, from the person currently holding them or who has benefited from the misapplication. This remedy targets the misused assets within the administration of the estate, rather than mechanisms for appealing a will, contesting probate, or enforcing executor duties as separate actions. In short, the right action is to trace and recover the property from the personal representative (or the current holder of those assets).