Thank you for posting your question on JustAnswer.

My understanding is that your questions relate to your father's (decedent) passing without a will and that his surviving spouse wife was not the mother of the four children of the decedent.

Question 1: How is the estate to be distributed in the absence of a will? If a will is not done an estate is distributed by intestate succession by state statute. Intestate means without a will.

Question 2: Is there a time limit for the sons to try to exercise their claims over their estate distribution given that they have not received any info nor distribution? If no probate of the estate was opened a probate proceeding may be opened to distribute the estate.

Question 3: How do sons go about seeking their share of the distribution? Under current law, the surviving wife is entitled to the entire estate if the children of the decedent are also the children of the surviving wife.

If the children are not the children of the surviving wife then the surviving wife is entitled to 50% and the remaining is to be distributed to the striving children of the decedent. The wife is entitled to 100% of the insurance benefit if she was the named beneficiary.

You will need to open a probate proceeding which is best done through a local attorney experienced in probate procedure. The Florida State Bar has a lawyer referral program: www.floridabar.org/names.nsf/MESearchDK?OpenForm.

All my best and encouragement.

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