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The answer to this question depends very heavily on (1) how the trust is written and (2) how the beneficiary designation was set up. The term "living trust" usually means a revocable living trust, and the general rule is that assets held by or paid to a revocable living trust can be accessed to pay the debts of the trust's deceased creator. But if the trust was structured to protect life insurance benefits specifically, it might not make them subject to creditor claims. The trust also might not be a revocable trust - it could have been an irrevocable trust created during the creator's lifetime - that is also technically a living trust although not that's not the most common use of that term. An irrevocable trust usually would be designed to avoid creditors claims made against the deceased creator. In addition, if this is a Georgia decedent, the minor child may be able to use a year's support right to get around the creditors' claims even if the life insurance might otherwise be exposed, even though there's a living trust in place and not simply a probate estate. If you really want an answer, I suggest that you contact a good estate attorney, preferably one with some litigation experience, and see if they can review the trust and the beneficiary designation and see what the situation actually is. It's too fact-dependent a question to be answered in this kind of forum.

I take it that you are not on friendly terms with the widow. In a conflict situation, you may file an intestate probate proceeding, take her testimony under oath, and publish notice in the local newspaper. If it is discovered, it can be filed with the court.

Unfortunately without a living trust owning the properties owned by your grandfather, your Mother will not be able to sell or distribute the properties until she is officially appointed as the executor by a probate court. It is too late for a trust to be created. She should probably consult with an attorney to have the probate opened. Once she is appointed executor she can sell the properties but if there are other owners she may would have to go to to court again in order to force the sale.