Q: I went through probate last year, and a creditor is asking for money from the deceased's estate
I am the sole administrator of the estate. The only asset(s) passed on was a condo and a few thousand dollars. The cash sum may or may not be enough to cover the debt after other more pertinent estate debts are paid such as HOA fees. I've requested the debt collection agency to send a debt validation letter but they kept trying to avoid it; they claimed to have sent 7 notices, including validation, to the probate attorney. The attorney has told me he never received anything except a single phone call from the collection agency, where they placed him on hold indefinitely. I originally sent death certificates to all creditors, including the hospital whose bill is being handled by this agency. At this point the agency has finally agreed to send me a debt validation letter, "once the hospital has verified all charges." Does this sound legitimate on their part, and can they put a lien on the house for $1500?
A: Your probate attorney should be the one to answer this question. Creditors claims must meet certain standards to be considered valid and just because someone says that person owes money doesn't make it true. Again, your attorney should be able to answer this question. Best wishes.
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