Does anyone have a Sample Letter for Settlement of Outstanding Bill of Deceased?

Question

My mother died, and I have bills out the WAZOO coming to her house. I was told to write a letter to the collectors and mail it with a copy of her death certificate. Is there anything in particular I should include? My co workers told me not to say too much. I looked online and they are charging $8.00 for a sample letter! Please help.

Answer 1

Get a CERTIFIED COPY of the death certificate-----through the town clerk it HAS to have that RAISED SEAL on it to be accepted as proof of death by all the collectors you are sending it to... each copy will cost you $10-20 to get it...also you will need one for Social Security Administration to get your lovely $255 they give you... and if she WORKED, you will need another certified copy to submit to her WORK or RETIREMENT company because there MAY be money coming from THAT as well (my son gets $17,000 from my retirement system when I die)..... Ok all you have to say in the letter is:

Enclosed please find Certificate of Death for -----(name)------- and list her account number after her name. Then say....
Please cancel this bill as soon as possible. IF there is an estate, the creditors MAY try to come after it, but if all she left were Possessions and not much else---no one will come after anything for payment.

When my father died a few years ago we received a $780 ambulance bill... I called the company and asked "what is your procedure for billing the dead"...... they told me to just send them the death certificate and that was it---No more bills and NOTHING ever went to any collection agency.

Answer 2

Keep it simple:

RE: (company and account #)

To Whom It May Concern:

My mother, (name) died on (date). A copy of her death certificate is attached. Unfortunately there are no assets in her estate and outstanding debts cannot be paid.

Sincerely,

(your name)



Most places won't require a certified copy of the death certificate -- I know those certified copies cost like $10 each, so just send plain photocopies.

Most credit cards will send statements for a couple more months before it goes thru their system and the debt is written off. Most other debts will stop sending notices immediately.

Some credit cards will try to convince you that you are liable for the debt. Don't talk to them. They are fishing for additional info.