ALG, I know in my area, if a person passes, then one has to sign up with Probate Court, whether there was a Will or not. Unless the person who had passed had a Revocable Trust and everything was listed in the Trust.
I had to take Dad's checking account and convert it over to the Estate of Dad, and from that checking book, pay off any debts. Had to keep excellent records, copy of the bill and copy of the check used to pay that bill.
All of Dad's mail was re-directed to my home so I could see what bills there were.
Probate can be time consuming depending on the backlog at the Court House. It's been a year and six months and my Dad's probate account hasn't been finalized. Thus, I had to hold off doing any distribution from the Will until the Judge signs the required paperwork.
For me, I used an "Elder Law Attorney" to work me through this, plus she was Dad's Attorney for the Will, etc.
I assume that you are the executor of the estate and there are some outstanding bills. They are paid from the deceased remaining assets before any distribution of inheritance is done except for those items that are already marked to go to someone upon the death of the owner. If there is not any money in the estate, don't pay the bills out of your own pocket for you don't owe them.
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I had to take Dad's checking account and convert it over to the Estate of Dad, and from that checking book, pay off any debts. Had to keep excellent records, copy of the bill and copy of the check used to pay that bill.
All of Dad's mail was re-directed to my home so I could see what bills there were.
Probate can be time consuming depending on the backlog at the Court House. It's been a year and six months and my Dad's probate account hasn't been finalized. Thus, I had to hold off doing any distribution from the Will until the Judge signs the required paperwork.
For me, I used an "Elder Law Attorney" to work me through this, plus she was Dad's Attorney for the Will, etc.
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