What is the next step when a insurance check is made out to the estate of the deceased?
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What is the next step when a insurance check is made out to the estate of the deceased?
There is only 1 surviving sibling and no parents, no children or spouse.
Asked on December 26, 2018 under Estate Planning, Colorado
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
The executor (if there is a will) or personal representative appointed by the court (if there is no will) can open an estate account and deposit the check into it. From there, it can be distributed to whomever would inherit the money (e.g. the surviving sibling) under a will or pursuant to "intestate succession" (the rules for who gets what when there is no will) when the estate is probated. So the first step is likely being appointed executor or administrator, if that has not been done yet, so you will have authority over estate assets, then opening the estate account.
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