Washington Estate Planning Resources
In-depth guides covering Washington probate laws, trust requirements, and estate planning strategies.
In-depth guides covering Washington probate laws, trust requirements, and estate planning strategies.
Prepare the Washington notice to creditors for publication, plus mailed notices for known creditors. RCW 11.40.020, 11.40.040, 11.40.051, 11.40.100, 11.76.110.
Step 1 of 4
The Washington notice identifies the appointed representative and the address where claims are presented.
The state where the estate proceeding is filed. Only states where the personal representative prepares the creditor notice are listed.
As stated in your Letters or appointment order.
The address where creditors present claims. It is printed in the notice.
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No statewide fillable form. RCW 11.40.030 sets what the published notice must contain, and the notice is drafted to those contents. The required elements print with the document as a checklist.
Claims are presented within 4 months after the date of first publication of this notice, per RCW 11.40.020, 11.40.040, 11.40.051, 11.40.100, 11.76.110. A claim not presented in time is barred. An absolute bar applies 2 years from the date of death regardless of notice.
A claim is presented to the personal representative and filed with the court — both. RCW 11.40.020, 11.40.040, 11.40.051, 11.40.100, 11.76.110.
A legal newspaper in the county in which the estate is being administered (RCW 11.40.020(1)(b)); if the decedent was a Washington resident and probate is commenced in a different county, publication is in a legal newspaper in the county of the decedent’s residence (RCW 11.40.020(2)).
Washington does not require direct written notice to known creditors, though published notice alone does not bar the claims of known creditors under Tulsa Professional Collection Services v. Pope, 485 U.S. 478 (1988). This tool prepares a mailed notice for each known creditor you list.
Yes — the publisher's affidavit of publication is filed with the court (RCW 11.40.020(1)). The newspaper provides the affidavit after the final run.
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