By using the procedures in Washington’s probate creditor’s claim statute, a personal representative can reduce the time during which a creditor can make a claim against a decedent’s estate.
Normally, a creditor has until the expiration of a statute of limitations to file a claim, which sometimes can be up to six years. But by sending out a Notice of Creditors and publishing it in a newspaper, the time for creditors to file claims can be reduced to anywhere from 30 days to 24 months, depending on the circumstances and type of notice provided.
Douglas N. Kiger, Attorney at Law
Blado Kiger Bolan, Tacoma, Wash.