[WSBAPT] Obtaining SSN of decedent in probate

[Heather de Vrieze]

Death certificates are produced based on information from the family or other informant. If the family doesn't have it, the state doesn't fill that in for them. 

Checking for prior year tax returns, 1099s, SS statements, etc. is a good start. The bank might give it to a court appointed Personal Representative, assuming they have it (and they should).

Heather

Heather S. de Vrieze
Attorney-at-Law
de Vrieze | Carney PLLC
3909 California Avenue SW
Seattle, WA 98116-3705                          
(206)938-5500 
heatherd at westseattlelaw.com 
www.westseattlelaw.com 

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-----Original Message-----
From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> On Behalf Of Diane J. Kiepe
Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2022 2:16 PM
To: WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: Re: [WSBAPT] Obtaining SSN of decedent in probate

Hi Doug,

You may have already considered this but I would ask the parties related to the decedent to search through decedent's records for a tax return.  It is very interesting that the death certificate didn't have it - I've not encountered that before.

The next step is to determine if the decedent had a bank account and if so then I might be inclined to ask the PR to ask for account opening information.  It seems whenever I opened a bank account I had to provide a social.  Third maybe a birth certificate request if US born.  None of these are legal solutions per se just maybe some steps to consider in the world where real life facts keep our practices always interesting and rarely the same.

Good Luck.

Diane J. Kiepe

Diane J. Kiepe
Douglas Eden
717 W. Sprague Ave.
Suite 1500
Spokane, WA  99201
djkiepe at depdslaw.com
509-455-5300

-----Original Message-----
From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> On Behalf Of Douglas Owens
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2022 11:27 AM
To: WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: [WSBAPT] Obtaining SSN of decedent in probate

Dear listmates, can anyone help with how to obtain the social security number of a probate decedent whose death certificate does not contain that information?  Thank you.  Yours truly, Doug Owens

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