Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Louisiana

Inheritance

Hello. I received a small amount of money as the sole beneficiary to my father's annuity funds when he died. There was also some cash in a bank account left to me, which I signed over to the attorney to pay outstanding debts my father had (he had no life insurance). There was not enough money in that account to pay the bills according to my step mother (who ran the attorney bill up to $7,000 alone) and she is now insisting that I pay the remaining bills off. I was not the executor of the estate, and I did not hire the attorney they used, I merely did what she told me to with regard to filling out the forms to obtain the annuity funds. Am I liable for these remaining debts?


Asked on 2/06/09, 11:02 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

James Maguire James G. Maguire, Attorney At Law

Re: Inheritance

No.

The annuity proceeds were a non-probate asset. They were not part of your father's estate, but similar to the proceeds of a life insurance policy.

You are not personally liable for any of your father's debts which exceed his assets, and the assets bequeathed to you apparently went towards payment of his debts.

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Answered on 2/06/09, 11:13 am


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