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WA state probate laws, procedure for notifying creditorsMy Mother passed as single woman, she has no estate, no will and no asset. Her only means of support was Social security which has ceased. With nothing to go into probrate is it appropriate to notify her debtors of this information and send a death certificate asking to close accounts. Attorney answers (2)
Unless you have been appointed by the court to handle your mother's estate, you have no legal duty to do anything.
On the other hand, unless someone else had been appointed by the court to handle your mother's estate, you likely would not be violating any law if you notify the creditors of her death. Some creditors may want to see a certified copy of the death certificate. (Creditors are the persons to whom you mother owed money. Debtors are person who owe your mother money. If your mother in fact has debtors, her estate likely has assets once the debtors pay what they owe her.) Some credit card companies offer small life insurance policies for free. You may want to check whether your mother had such policies. You may want to review your mother's paperwork to see if she had assets (such as life insurance policies). If your mother's death was a result of someone's negligence, her estate and family may have a legal basis to sue that someone. You may want to review the facts and options with an attorney.
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I wouldn't notify the creditors unless I planned to open a probate for the Decedent's estate & get the Court to appoint me as its PR. Then, I'd notify the creditors in my capacity as PR, as part of the probate process.
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