Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in New York

Re: Estates

Maybe. Did you, as part of the probate procedure, issue a Notice To Creditors, which establishes a time limitation for which creditors should submit bills to the executor. If so, you may have a defense to the claim. If not, or even if you did, the creditor could follow the asset distribution to the recipient, under several theories, including "transfer in fraud of creditors". The Notice allows the executor to complete the estate and distribute the assets, with no personal liability if a subsequent claim is raised. However, this does not protect the recipient of the assets from being subject to a claim, if valid and timely asserted. As both executor and distributee of assets, you wear 2 hats; one protected and one (as distributee) still subject to a legitimate claim. I suggest contacting the creditor, telling them the estate has been closed, they were late in filing the claim, and, at worst, trying to compromise the amount due, to avoid a possible suit against you as the recipient of assets.