Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Pennsylvania

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John Davidson LawGuru Answers Attorney Law Office of John A. Davidson

107 North Front Street Suite 117 Harrisburg, PA 17101

They probably will.

I have a question for you why do the 5 siblings feel they don't have to pay legal fees?

{John}

2. John, I don't know why they are like that. Because their former law firm contacted another firm and said they left an unpaid balance leads me to believe that when I do an accounting to my 5 siblings they may be present to request their money and rightly so. In fact, I hope that there is something they can do to get what is owed to them. I the executrix is taking a cut in my inheritance just to settle and pay the inheritance tax. The 5 siblings did notarized affidavits and claimed they took nothing or very little. Only they had access/control. And they claimed that the guardian sold the contents when she listed only six items left in the house. Thanks for responding - freely I certainly appreciate it. .


Asked on 5/07/11, 9:08 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Rachel Hunter

There is a lot on information that is not clear in your post. If you are the executrix of an estate, then someone died. Why was a guardian appointed? Was someone still alive or was a guardian appointed prior to death? Why did the guardian sell things?

If you are the executrix, then you are supposed to have control over the assets, not the siblings

And if there are legal fees owed, are these an expense of the estate? If so, these must be paid from estate funds before any money is distributed to the heirs.

I also have a question as to who hired the attorney or asked for the guardian. If it was the siblings, then they need to pay the legal fees.

Do you have an attorney for the estate? If not, you should have had one a long time ago. If there are no asets and you cannot afford it, I understand.

Bottom line is that heirs can't get money or other assets and not pay bills. The heirs get nothing if there is not enough money in the estate.

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Answered on 5/07/11, 11:03 am


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