Q: Does funeral reimbursement from estate take precedence over other bills? Father's bank act is just enough to cover them
My father passed recently and we have the estate process going with my sister as executor. His bank account has enough to cover what we paid in funeral costs but there is 1 outstanding credit card debt so I was hoping funeral reimbursement superceded that.
A:
Section 64.2-528 of the Code of Virginia sets out the order in which debts are to be paid when assets in the personal representative's possession are not sufficient to pay all debts and demands. This is known as an insolvent estate. Funeral expenses are third priority, after costs and expenses of administration and allowance in Article 2 of Chapter 3 of Title 64.2, and limited to $4,000. This can often cause a problem, as funeral expenses typically exceed the limitation.
Anyone serving as personal representative of an estate, either an executor of an administrator, should consult with an experienced Virginia probate lawyer.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
