The personal representative must send notice to all creditors of the estate, and each creditor must respond before a date certain. If a creditor responds and you dispute his claim, the creditor must file suit and the judge must decide whether to pay the claim. There is a certain order of precedence as to when debts are to be paid. Many people die while they are in debt. When the heirs come to me and ask me to help them settle the estate, the questions often arises: how should they pay the…
