Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in New York
Can they take my inheritence?
My grand-aunt passed away in
December and didn't leave a will.
When she died she had $7,000
worth of credit card debt. The day
before she died her younger sister
made an agreement with the credit
card company to settle the debt for
$3,000, but she never followed up
on it after the death. My deceased
aunt named me as the beneficiary
for both her savings account and her
pension. I've already transfered the
money from the savings and I'm
awaiting the pension funds. Last
night I received a call from Chase
credit services saying that I have to
pay my aunt's balance. Appearantly
her younger sister never followed up
and lost the settlement letter. Can
Chase take my inheritence? Or since
there isn't a will is the debt null and
void?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Can they take my inheritence?
Sorry to say, and all of the assets individually owned by your grand-aunt, over and above the costs of administering her estate, are available to pay her debts to her creditors. The pension benefit is not subject to that rule.