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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">The small estate affidavit cannot be used with real property only personal property. RCW 11.62.010. The person signing the small estate affidavit must claim
that they are entitled to the property or that the other heirs have given permission for the person to obtain the monies AND that all debts of the decedent have been paid for as well. Not sure why the successor doesn’t want to open the probate, get appointed
as Administrator, obtain the letters and handle the probate properly. The Administrator can then transfer the RE pursuant to intestacy laws. Even if you can convince a bank to cash the check, sounds like there are other heirs entitled to the monies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Douglas Bratt<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, December 18, 2015 6:22 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Insurance check issued to deceased person<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">I think you will have better luck trying to convince the Insurance Company to re-issue the check than you will getting the bank to cash the check or to deposit
it. It might be easier if the insurance company is a Washington insurance company, although I was recently able to convince one out-of-state insurance company to re-issue a check, making it payable directly to a claiming successor, by jumping through the
hoops of the Small Estates Affidavit and then carefully giving the insurance company copies of the relevant statutes, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">I think a bank will only honor the Small Estates Affidavit process if the funds are already on deposit in the bank, prior to the death of the Decedent. I don’t
think the Small Estates Affidavit procedures would confer any rights to your client, as a claiming successor, that would give the bank any assurance that it would be appropriate to cash the check. After all, if the drawer or the drawer’s bank dishonors the
check, the bank is stuck with paying back the funds to the drawer’s bank when it has already released the funds to your client. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Yes, the Small Estates Affidavit provides a convenient way to deal with estates worth less than $100K, but, boiled down to its essential elements, the Small Estates
Affidavit procedures are, in reality, a way to assure banks (and insurance companies, etc.) that they can safely release funds (if the statute is followed by the claiming successor) without fear of liability claims of other “successors” (other than the claiming
successor), perhaps brothers or sisters of the claiming successor. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">On a side note, I understand that your client doesn’t want to file probate, but how in the world will the real property get out of the name of the Decedent without
the filing of a probate, anyway? Seems like silly thinking on the part of the client, to me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Good luck.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Doug Bratt<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lucida Calligraphy";color:#1F497D">Douglas J. Bratt</span><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Calligraphy";color:#1F497D">Lawyer</span><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">
<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> [<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Jennifer Johnson<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, December 18, 2015 4:48 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Insurance check issued to deceased person<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Good afternoon,<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Client recently received a check from an insurance company that was issued to the estate of her deceased mother. Her mom passed away four years ago and left a piece of real property and an insurance policy covering the real property, neither
of which were ever transferred by the heirs. She took the check to the bank and, not surprisingly, the bank wants letters testamentary, an EIN for the estate, etc. Also not surprisingly, client does not want to probate.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">I am wondering if, provided that mom’s estate qualifies, the small estate affidavit might be used to get the bank to either cash the check or let client deposit it? Or to get the insurance company to reissue a check to the successor instead
of the estate? Or perhaps there is a simpler solution that my Friday afternoon brain isn’t thinking of?<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">I appreciate any advice or experience you all may have.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you,<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Jennifer<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Jennifer Johnson | Attorney<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Hanigan Law Office, PS<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">PO Box 39 - 68 Main Street<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Cathlamet, WA 98612<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">(360) 795-3494<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">(360) 795-3001 (f)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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