Advisory Services

Probate Finder® Technology
Once accounts have been verified by Forte's patent-pending DOD Finder Technology, a client's deceased accounts will be scrubbed against the database of our patent-pending Probate Finder Technology. Harvested from the nation's 3,450+ probate courts, Probate Finder's database of more than 2.6 million estate records represent the industry's most comprehensive source of probated estates available. Forte's EstateWise Solution leverage the power of the Probate Finder Technology to identify the maximum number of estates at a single point in time or on a continuous basis as long as accounts are placed with us.

DOD Finder™ Technology
If desired, clients can have Forte scrub their deceased accounts against the database of our patent-pending DOD Finder (Date of Death) Technology. The DOD Finder Technology cross-references DOD information from the Social Security Administration's Death Master File, along with data from our proprietary Probate Finder® estate database and other continually updated data sources. This combination creates the most complete source of DOD information available, delivered in a timely and secure manner.

Estate Claim Filing
After a client's deceased accounts have been matched with probated estates, the Probate Finder Technology's claim generation system will automatically produce a custom claim form for each estate account identified. If the Probate Finder Technology identifies an estate that is nearing expiration, the technology will automatically prioritize the production of that claim form in order to maximize the number of claims filed before expiration

Estate Claims Collections
Once an estate claim form is submitted, the estate account recovery process begins. Forte refers all recovery work to its sister company, DCM Services, the largest agency in the nation focused exclusively on deceased debt. DCM Services uses a proprietary, automated claim recovery process to ensure maximum liquidation on each claim filed. Throughout the recovery process, DCM Services' recovery professionals:

• Monitor the status of every claim
• Gather information that will guide liquidation expectations, including inventorying assets and liabilities
• Determine the timing and processing of claims payment
• Establish the timing of an interim or final estate accounting
• Identify the timing of estate closure
• Implement jurisdiction-sensitive procedures and strategies to ensure adequate accounting, paying in order of priority and full resolution of claims

Monthly Reports
Included in EstateWise™ 100 and EstateWise™ Predictor are a complete set of monthly reports on the status of the client's claims inventory. EstateWise Solution monthly reports provide unprecedented visibility into the performance of estate accounts, including such details as the:

• Number of claims added during the month
• Value of claims paid
• Calculations of the current and pro forma liquidation rates

Probate Predictor™ Technology
Depending on the solution chosen, Forte's Probate Predictor Technology can be used to segment and identify that subset of accounts where the vast majority of probated estates will be created. Using a proprietary technology built with thousands of variables tested against millions of estate records, the Probate Predictor Technology provides unprecedented visibility into your deceased accounts and the ability to create a unique set of work standards for your most valuable accounts.

No Uniform Probate System
Unlike bankruptcy in the U.S., which is subject to a uniform federal law and neatly administered through eleven federal district courts, probate is subject to fifty versions of state law administered through more than 3,400 probate courts. With hundreds of thousands of new probate estates opened each year, finding the right jurisdiction and understanding the applicable law can be a significant challenge.

No Central Database of Probate Estates
With more than 625,000 probate estates added to the nation's probate courts each year, simply finding the estate of a deceased account holder can be a daunting task. To make matters worse, nearly 15 percent of all estates are opened outside the county of last known address; thus, even current account information may not be helpful in locating a deceased customer's estate.

Finding Estates is Expensive
With estate search fees that range from a few cents to $35 each, efficiently managing the cost of finding estates through the nation's probate courts can be problematic. In addition, because labor-intensive sourcing methods must be deployed to collect estate data in many courts, staff expenses can spiral out-of-control, erasing the financial benefits of probate.

Finding Estates in a Timely Manner is Critical
The time a creditor has to locate an estate and file a claim is much shorter than the statute of limitations for other debt classes - in some cases, creditors have as little as 60 days from the date an estate is opened. At the same time, the value of deceased account contact information deteriorates over time as phone numbers are recycled and mail is stopped. Deceased accounts are a perishable collectible - the longer it takes to identify a customer's deceased status and begin the recovery process, the less likely a creditor is to collect.

Probate is clearly a complicated business. With varying city and county procedures and fixed time restrictions, recovery departments face multiple complexities if left to navigate the estate process without help. Fortunately, there is a solution: a unique service offering built on an established technology that offers a way out of the probate mess.