What Happens to Debt When You Die in Massachusetts?

Yes. Massachusetts requires publication of a notice to creditors once per week for 1 consecutive week in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where probate is filed.MGL c. 190B §§ 3-306, 3-803, 3-805, 3-806Verified Apr 15, 2026 The notice must include the deadline for filing claims and where to send them.

Direct notice to known creditors is not required in Massachusetts, but sending it may start a shorter deadline for those specific creditors.MGL c. 190B §§ 3-306, 3-803, 3-805, 3-806Verified Apr 15, 2026

In Massachusetts, estate debts are paid in this order: Costs and expenses of administration, Reasonable funeral expenses, Debts and taxes with preference under federal law, followed by remaining claim classes.MGL c. 190B §§ 3-306, 3-803, 3-805, 3-806Verified Apr 15, 2026 If the estate is insolvent, claims within each class are paid proportionally.

Yes. All claims in Massachusetts are absolutely barred 1 year after the date of death, regardless of whether proper notice was given.MGL c. 190B §§ 3-306, 3-803, 3-805, 3-806Verified Apr 15, 2026 This absolute bar provides a final cutoff even when the executor did not publish notice or send direct notice to creditors.

The executor is responsible for publishing notice, sending direct notice to known creditors (where required), reviewing and approving or rejecting claims, and paying valid claims in the statutory priority order before distributing assets to beneficiaries. The Massachusetts executor checklist outlines each step in order.

Creditor claims are one phase of estate settlement. The process includes inventorying assets, notifying creditors, paying valid debts, filing tax returns, and distributing remaining assets to beneficiaries. Assets cannot be distributed until the claim period expires. See the full timeline with the Massachusetts estate settlement guide.