Order of Payment of Claims
After the claims for a Houston Probate estate are classified, in what order do you pay them?
Claims in a Harris County Probate estate are paid in the following order:
(1) Funeral expenses and expenses of last sickness, in an amount not to exceed Fifteen Thousand Dollars.
(2) Allowances made to the surviving spouse and children, or to either.
(3) Expenses of administration and the expenses incurred in the preservation, safekeeping, and management of the estate.
(4) Other claims against the estate in the order of their classification.
An Independent Executor can pay claims without needing to obtain the court’s approval. However, in acting without the Harris County Probate Court’s approval an Independent Executor acts at their own peril if a mistake or oversight is made. Your Houston Probate Attorney can help you make sure claims against the estate are paid properly. Anyone other than an Independent Executor can obtain the court’s approval for the order of payment for claims.
Speak with a Houston Probate Attorney today if you need assistance with a probate matter in Harris County.