[WSBAPT] Surviving spouse pursued by spouse's creditors

[Roger Hawkes]

Do a probate; publish notice; send letters to cc at about ninety days after first notice publications; often they won't file creditors' claims and the debts are erased.  If they do file, often the probate can be managed to clear those debts with little or no payment.

Roger Hawkes, WSBA # 5173
19909 Ballinger Way NE
Shoreline, WA 98155
www.hawkeslawfirm.com<http://www.hawkeslawfirm.com>
206 367 5000
Fax is 206 367 4005

From: jeffrey winter [mailto:jdwinter at hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2015 2:18 PM
To: wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com
Subject: [WSBAPT] Surviving spouse pursued by spouse's creditors

 Listmates:

PC was married to Decedent in 2008.  Decedent was part of an MLM enterprise, and had two WA corporations associated therewith.  Both of the corporations are inactive and have been for awhile.

Decedent and his new spouse moved from WA to Arizona, where he continued his MLM business.  Decedent held two credit cards that he used for that business, and both cards were obtained by him prior to his marriage to PC and were in his name alone.

Decedent died this past fall in Arizona, and PC has returned to WA.  No probate has been opened, and PC is evidently not entitled to continue the MLM business of her spouse due to franchise agreements (residuals are being paid to a former spouse who was listed as a partner, not withstanding Decedent's Will leaving everything to the new spouse).

PC is faced with over $40K in credit card debt incurred by spouse relating to the business, and does not have the funds to pay it.  PC would like to avoid bankruptcy if at all possible.

I don't have much experience in debt reduction strategies, does anyone have any ideas as to how she can get rid of the creditors?

Jeffrey D. Winter

Law Office of Jeffrey D. Winter, P.S.
604 North Main Street
Ellensburg, WA 98926
(509) 925-9600 tel.
(509) 925-9606 fax

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