[WSBAPT] is a successor of small estate entitled to bank statements and/ or wage stubs?

[Diane J. Kiepe]

Hello Andrekita,

I have not had this situation and I have not taken the time to research it but a few thoughts on the matter.  The small estate affidavit is very limited and I think the bank and employer have reasonable grounds to withhold this information.  It certainly is a reasonable filing position.  The bank itself probably has a contract which states they will not give out information to anyone other then the bank holder or their appointed representative (Letters Testamentary/Letters Administration).  The employer likely gave the 401(k) information out as it is not typically passed through an estate.  Lastly, you said she received a check from employer made payable to the Estate of…..this was premature on the companies part and likely will create the need for the estate to open a bank account just to cash.

Institutions are constantly practicing law in limited ways – right or wrong – your client’s best, most efficient course of action will be to open the probate –it will be a heck of a lot cheaper then the research time to determine the answer (which even if favorable would need to be followed up with legal letters, dialogue, etc all =$$) or f iling a complaint to determine the issue on financial disclosure under Small Estate Affidavit procedures.

I literally had a power of attorney rejected by an institution because they were not “specifically named” – that is the POA just referenced financial transactions.  Legally I knew they were wrong, practically speaking I knew it was more cost and time effective to deliver a new POA (thankfully we could still have one signed; my client was just elderly).

Best of luck,


Diane J. Kiepe

Diane J. Kiepe, Attorney at Law
Douglas • Eden
717 W. Sprague Ave., Suite 1500
Spokane, WA  99201
Phone:  (509) 455-5300
Fax:        (509) 455-5348
djkiepe at depdslaw.com



From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com] On Behalf Of Andrekita Silva
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2018 6:08 PM
To: wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com
Subject: [WSBAPT] is a successor of small estate entitled to bank statements and/ or wage stubs?


Law Office of
F.ANDREKITA SILVA
____________________________________________________

                                                                  October 2, 2018
Listserve,

Have any of you ever had the successor of a Small Estate request bank statements from the bank of the deceased or wage stubs from the employer of the deceased?

I have a client (she is successor and sole beneficiary) who has requested these items from her late son's bank and from her late son's employer. Both bank and employer have refused to provide this information. Each claiming confidentiality. Bank did send her a check with amount they say they held (after receiving small estate affidavit).

Employer provided information regarding manager for employer provided stock options, manager for 401(k), manager for Health Services account, and last paycheck (addressed to “Estate of” with wage stub with year-to- dates on it    (just like employee would have received in his lifetime but sent to my client’s home).   They did all this before she ever provided her small estate affidavit. She just called and said “son died, I’m mom.”

​I have looked at the statute. It says


“..  any person who … has possession of any personal property belonging to the decedent … which …  personal property is an asset which is subject to probate, shall pay such indebtedness or deliver such personal property, or so much of either as is claimed, to a person claiming to be a successor of the decedent upon receipt of proof of death and of an affidavit.”

They have each said they will only release this information if client produces Letters Testamentary and/ or Letters of Administration. They say small estate affidavit is not enough.  The point is, that my client would like to avoid the cost of filing a probate action since it’s a small estate.

I really don’t know what their true concern is.  Is it really confidentiality or is it that they think the wage stubs and/ or bank statements are not the property of the deceased, but their own property  (like the question of a client file when it comes to lawyers).  Caselaw is very clear that the term “property” is extremely broad, and that it includes property that is tangible and intangible.  I can’t believe they don’t think wage stubs/ bank statements are property.  Is it that a bank statement is not “an asset which is subject to probate”?

Are the employee wage stubs and the employee bank statements reasonably considered the property of the deceased or is this property of the bank and/ or employer?

My client has a couple different reasons for wanting this information.  However, since both bank and employer have been so resistant, she is starting to feel distrustful, like they are trying to short-change her.  Although I assume that this may have more to do with bureaucracy than dishonesty, I can’t help but to wonder, how can a successor would protect themselves from dishonesty if they can’t receive documents necessary to verify that assets were properly  disbursed?

So, I’m wondering if others have dealt with this, what the basis would be for withholding this information, and whether my client be successful in securing this information if this issue were placed before the court?

Thank you in advance for any thoughts you might have on this.


andrekita
Law Office of F. Andrekita Silva
1325 Fourth Avenue, Suite 2000
Seattle, Washington 98101
206-224-8288
www.seattle-silvalaw.com



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