The bank asks for an EIN because a deceased person’s Social Security Number (SSN) can no longer be used to report new financial activity. You only need one EIN for the entire estate. This single number will be used across all banks, brokerages, and title companies you deal with. If you are settling a very … Read more
Credit card balances are unsecured claims against the estate, meaning they typically sit near the bottom of the payment priority list. Stop the bleed immediately by pausing autopay subscriptions and notifying the major credit bureaus to lock the deceased’s profile against fraud. Debt collectors rely on creating urgency. Shift the burden back to them by … Read more
A notice to creditors is not about inviting bills; it is a formal way to establish a clear timeline and protect the estate from surprise claims years down the road. Executors must differentiate between “known” creditors (who usually get direct communication) and “unknown” creditors (who are addressed by public publication). The most critical part of … Read more