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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Jeff,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I vote yes, assuming this is an ordinary, valid, uncontested debt in a solvent estate. In fact, I vote you can just pay it and be done with it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">First, the creditor claim period is 4 months, not 90 days, and those receiving “actual notice” have until the LATER of 30 days from service/mailing date of your notice and
the 4 month deadline. RCW 11.40.051(1)(a). (I send my actual notices about 45 days before the publication deadline so I don’t hurt my brain trying to figure it all out. They all then just have “until the 4 month deadline.”)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Next, I think the fair reading of RCW 11.40 would make this separate legal entity to which the credit card company has assigned its claim a different, separate creditor
that is NOT on notice. So upon receiving the collector’s statement (in “their form”) they have become a reasonably ascertainable creditor. (See “correspondence received after the date of death” in RCW 11.40.040(1).) They are thus entitled to specific notice;
and a “new” 30 days if your 4 month deadline comes earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Or, instead of sending them a notice and seeing if they file formally, the PR of a solvent estate can simply pay the claim if it is known and valid, and dispense with all
the formalities (and formality’s attendant costs). See RCW 11.40.070(4), which is a very sensible addition to the statute.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">In a solvent estate with known debts, it is my view that costing the estate money to go through the hoops above to see if the creditor will “pass the test” is not usually
in the estate’s best interest. Assuming the claim was known and valid; assigned; and noticed up to you or your PR in some form before the relevant deadlines, then,
<u>if valid</u>, it should be paid. I think RCW 11.40.070(4) properly balances the relevant considerations.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Going back to a discussion on this list previously about duties owed to creditors or beneficiaries, this is where I balance the PR’s duty to the beneficiaries of a solvent
estate with the clear rights of creditors of solvent estates. If you received that collection letter
<u>after</u> the expiration of the 4 month period, or if the estate was insolvent, then this analysis may be different. But I do not think “actual notice” to the original debt holder is a solid bar to the timely, pre-deadline presentment of a demand for payment
by an assignee, and I wouldn’t want to hang my hat on the argument that it is.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">All the best, Josh<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Joshua D. McKarcher<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">McKarcher Law PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">537 6th Street<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Clarkston, WA 99403<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">(509) 758-3345<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">(509) 758-3314 (fax)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">josh@mckarcherlaw.com</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Jeff Davis<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, November 2, 2020 3:02 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Probate Notice Sent to Creditor but Collection Agency Responds<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Listmates,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We provided a Probate Notice to Creditors directly to a credit card company in September, 2020. We recently received a standard collection letter from a collection company to whom the credit card company had assigned the account. No creditor’s
claim was filed or served on me. The 90 day period from the first publication of notice is fast approaching. Question, do I need to send the probate notice to creditor to the collection company? Your thoughts would be appreciated.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff Davis<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">W. Jeff Davis, Esq.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">BELL & DAVIS PLLC<br>
P.O. Box 510<br>
Sequim WA 98382<br>
Phone No.:(360) 683.1129 <br>
Fax No.: (360) 683.1258 <br>
email: <a href="mailto:info@bellanddavispllc.com"><span style="color:blue">info@bellanddavispllc.com</span></a><br>
<a href="http://www.bellanddavispllc.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">www.bellanddavispllc.com</span></a><br>
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