Q: Can a beneficiary (NOT a court-appointed PR) be reimbursed for estate related expenses?
I was named the PR/executor in deceased's will. Will was submitted to the court. Formal probate was initiated, but then before I was named PR, it was converted to summary administration (there is no court-appointed PR in summary administration) because the only asset needing probate was the exempt homestead property. I paid over $60k in funeral, burial, HOA fees, insurance, utilities, repairs, supplies, moving, packing, cleaning costs associated with this house in preparation for the sale. Can I be reimbursed from the proceeds for half of those since the only other beneficiary (50/50 split of house) paid ZERO?
A: I often have this conversation with clients after summary administration. In your situation, your last opportunity for reimbursement of estate related and real estate related expenses is at the time of the real estate closing. You are going to want to provide proof of payment of these expenses to the closing attorney/title agent and ask that you be reimbursed as a seller's cost. The other seller will have to approve of the closing statement with your costs listed on there, but if they don't, then your remedy is to hold up the closing--so hopefully you will be able to negotiate the payment of these expenses as a seller's cost and be paid off the top before the net amount to seller is divided 50/50.
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