How To Notify Creditors After a Loved One’s Death

Grieving the loss of a loved one takes up much of your time and concentration in the days and weeks after the loss.. It is hard to know what to do next, and what your legal responsibilities may be. If you are the designated estate’s personal representative or executor, part of the probate process will require you let creditors know about the death so that they have time to file a claim against the estate.

The probate attorneys at Veliz & Associates, P.A. are available to help you through this difficult time. We will discuss the steps to take to notify creditors after a loved one’s death in Florida, including identifying whom to inform and how to manage their claims.

Identifying Creditors

The first step in the notification process is to identify the deceased’s creditors. Start by gathering financial information about their banking relationships, credit grantors, and medical providers. There may be some creditors that the personal representative is not aware of; however, reasonable efforts must be made to uncover them.

Notifying Creditors

The next step in the process is to notify creditors. There are two ways an executor should go about this, starting with publishing a Notice to Creditors in the local newspaper. This ad must be published once a week for two consecutive weeks and includes information about probate court so that potential creditors have the opportunity to file a claim. They must also send written notification to any known creditors, in addition to the newspaper announcement.

Waiting Out the Claim Period

Once the personal representative has notified potential creditors, it is time to wait. Creditors have three months from the date the personal representative publishes the Notice to Creditors to file a claim against the estate. However, the known creditors who were notified directly by serving them with a notice to creditors have only 30 days to file.

Managing Claims

The final step in the process is to manage the creditor’s claims. The executor must review the statements to determine if the amounts are accurate and if the claim is valid. If the bill is not valid, the Personal Representative should file an objection to the claim. Once the personal representative objects to the claim, the creditor has 30 days to seek separate legal action against the estate.

Reach Out for Help With Notifying Creditors After the Loss of a Loved One

Now that you understand the basics of how to notify creditors after a loved one’s death, contact the compassionate Florida-based legal team at Veliz & Associates, P.A. We are committed to understanding your family’s specific needs, and it is our honor to help you through this difficult time.