Instructions: Filing A Claim Against An Estate (Pinal)

There are all sorts of forms executors, beneficiaries, and probate court clerks have to fill out and correspond with during probate and estate settlement, including affidavits, letters, petitions, summons, orders, and notices.

Instructions: Filing A Claim Against An Estate (Pinal) is a commonly used form within Arizona. Here’s an overview of what the form is and means, including a breakdown of the situations when (or why) you may need to use it:

Instructions and forms for telling the personal representative and/or the court you want notice of proceedings in an estate case.

Atticus Fast Facts About Instructions: Filing A Claim Against An Estate (Pinal)

Sometimes it’s tough to find a quick summary— here’s the important details you should know about Instructions: Filing A Claim Against An Estate (Pinal):

• This form pertains to the State of Arizona

Government forms are not typically updated often, though when they are, it often happens rather quietly. While Atticus works hard to keep this information about Arizona’s Form Instructions: Filing A Claim Against An Estate (Pinal) up to date, certain details can change from time-to-time with little or no communication.

Step 1 - Download the correct Arizona form based on the name and ID if applicable

Double check that you have both the correct form name and the correct form ID. Some Arizona probate forms can look remarkably similar, so it’s best to double, even triple-check that you’re using the right one! Keep in mind that not all States have a standardized Form ID system for their probate forms.

Step 2 - Complete the Document

Fill out all relevant fields in Form Instructions: Filing A Claim Against An Estate (Pinal), take a break, and then review. Probate and estate settlement processes in AZ are long enough to begin with, and making a silly error can push your timeline even farther back. No thank you!

Note: If you don’t currently know all of the answers and are accessing Form Instructions: Filing A Claim Against An Estate (Pinal) online, be sure to avoid closing the browser tab and potentially losing all your progress (or use a platform like Atticus to help avoid making mistakes).

Step 3 - Have Form witnessed or notarized (if required)

Some States and situations require particular forms to be notarized. If you have been instructed to get the document notarized or see it in writing on the document, then make sure to hire a local notary. There are max notary fees in the United States that are defined and set by local law. Take a look at our full guide to notary fees to make sure you aren’t overpaying or getting ripped off.

Step 4 - Submit Instructions: Filing A Claim Against An Estate (Pinal) to the relevant office

This is most often the local probate court where the decedent (person who passed away) is domiciled (permanently resides) or the institution involved with this particular form (e.g. a bank). Some offices allow you to submit forms online, other’s don’t, and we while we generally recommend going in-person to expedite the process, sometimes that simply isn’t an option.

It’s also a generally good idea to establish a positive working relationship with any probate clerk (unfortunately there’s enough people & process out there making things more difficult and unnecessarily confusing for them), so a best practice is to simply ask the probate clerk proactively exactly how and where they’d prefer you to submit all forms.

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Different probate forms or processes can require different deadlines or response times for completing the appropriate form.

While some steps in the process are bound to specific deadlines (like petitioning for probate, having to submit an inventory of assets, or filing applicable notices to creditors and beneficiaries), many probate forms or processes are not tied to a specific deadline since the scope of work can vary based on situational factors or requirements involved.

Either way, there are a bunch of practical reasons why personal representatives should work to complete each step as thoroughly and quickly as possible when completing probate in Arizona.

5 reasons you should submit this form as quickly as possible:

1. The sooner you begin, the faster Arizona can allow heirs and beneficiaries to get their share of assets subject to probate. Acting promptly can also decrease the costs & overall mental fatigue through an otherwise burdensome process.
   
   Helpful Context: What’s the Difference Between Probate and Non-Probate Assets?

2. In general, creditors of an estate usually have around 3-6 months from the time you file notice to creditors to file any claims for debt against the deceased’s assets. If they don’t, then that debt is forfeited (and more importantly, the executor won’t be held personally responsible). So doing this sooner means you have a better idea of who is owed what and ensures you won’t get a surprise collector months later.

3. Not filing a will within 30 days (on average) could mean that the probate process proceeds according to intestate laws (laws that govern what happens to someone's stuff without a will) or is subject to unnecessary supervision by the probate court. And if you aren't directly related to the deceased (a.k.a. next of kin), this could also mean you lose your inheritance.

4. It’s important to file any necessary state tax returns on behalf of the deceased or estate by the following tax season in Arizona. If you don’t, you could owe penalties and interest. This also includes any necessary federal tax returns such as Forms 1040, 1041, or even a Form 706 estate tax return.

5. If a house in the State of Arizona is left empty (or abandoned) for a while, insurance can get dicey. For example, if the house burns down and no one has been there for a year, an insurance company may get out of paying your claim.

If you’re not using Atticus to get specific forms, deadlines, and timelines for Arizona probate, then try and stay as organized as possible, pay close attention to the dates mentioned in any correspondence you have with the State’s government officials, call the local Arizona probate clerk or court for exact answers regarding Form Instructions: Filing A Claim Against An Estate (Pinal), and when in doubt— consult a qualified trust & estates lawyer for that area.

Instructions: Filing A Claim Against An Estate (Pinal) is one of the many probate court forms available for download through Atticus.

It may also be available through some Arizona probate court sites, such as . In order to access the latest version, be updated with any revisions, and get full instructions on how to complete each form, check out the Atticus Probate & Estate Settlement software or consider hiring a qualified legal expert locally within Arizona.

While Atticus automatically provides the latest forms, be sure to choose the correct version of Form Instructions: Filing A Claim Against An Estate (Pinal) f using any other site or resource in order to avoid having to re-complete the form process and/or make another trip to the Arizona probate court office.

Instructions: Filing A Claim Against An Estate (Pinal) is a .pdf, so opening it should be as simple as clicking “View Form” from within the Atticus app or by clicking the appropriate link found on any Arizona-provided government platform. Once you’ve opened the form, you should be able to directly edit the form before saving or printing.

Here’s the text, verbatim, that is found on Arizona Form Instructions: Filing A Claim Against An Estate (Pinal). You can use this to get an idea of the context of the form and what type of information is needed.

PINAL COUNTY CLERK OF SUPERIOR COURT INFORMATION FOR MAKING A CLAIM AGAINST AN ESTATE 1. WHO CAN FILE A CLAIM: Generally, you must believe that the person who died owes you money. 2. WHEN A CLAIM MUST BE FILED: You are not required to file a claim against the estate if the Personal Representative has paid you or is making arrangements with you to pay what is owed from the property of the person who died. But here is what the law currently provided as to creditors under A.R.S. § 14-3801, § 14-3802, and § 14-3803: √All persons unknown to the Personal Representative having claims against the Estate are required to present their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of the Notice of Creditors, or the claims will be forever barred. √All persons known to the Personal Representative to have claims against the Estate are required to present their claims within four months after receipt of the Notice to Creditors by mail or the claims will be forever barred. √ To present a claim you must deliver or mail a written statement of the claim to the Personal Representative at his or her address. You do not need to file the claim in court, unless you want to A.R.S. § 14-3804. INSTRUCTION FOR FILING A CLAIM AGAINST AN ESTATE If you wish to file a Claim Agains t the Estate complete the attached form. 1.Fill in your name, address and daytime telephone nu mber at the top form. 2.Fill in the name of the deceased pe rson and mark wh ether he/ she is an adult or minor. 3.Fill in the case number; PB______________________. This number is on any document you received from the Personal Representative, or is obtainable from the Pinal County Clerk of Superio r Court. 4. Fill in your name and address and the amount you believe the deceased person owes you. Items #1 and #2 on the form. 5. Explain why you believe the deceased person owes you money. Item #3 on the form. 6.If the amount owed is not yet due, fill in the date due in item #4. 7.If the amount owed is secured by property , describe it in item #5. 8. Item #6 states that you are mailing a copy of the Claim to Personal Representative, if one had been appointed. YOU MUST DO THIS. The Claim is deemed presented upon receipt of the written statement of claim by the Personal Representative. 9. Date, sign and print your name. Page 1 of 2 PB_FCAE_COSCPinal_08.21.17 Use only most current version WHAT TO DO NEXT: 1.FILING FEE: There is a filing fee for filing the Claim Against The Estate. Inquire with the Clerk’s office regarding the filing fee amount. Payment may be made by Cash, Money Order, Visa or MasterCard debit or credit. 2.Ask the Personal Representative for the names and addresses of any other persons who received notice of the court case. If no Personal Representative has been appointed, or if you do not wish to contact him/her, come into the Pinal County Clerk of Superior Court and look in the file at the PROOF OF NOTICE filed by the Personal Representative. This will give you the necessary information and to all the parties needing to receive copy of the Claim Against the Estate. 3.Make enough copies of your Claim to mail one to each of the persons above and the Personal Representative. Bring copies with you at the time of filing or mail to the Clerk of the Superior Court with a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of your copies. If you request copies to be returned to you by mail and you have not provided a self- addressed stamped envelope you will be assessed a fee of $7.00 for postage and handling. 4.Take the original Claim Against Estate and any copies, along with the filing fee to any of our locations. 5. Mail copy of the Claim Against the Estate to all other parties who received notice of the initial Probate filings. Visit our website for office locations or feel free to give us a call. Contact Information for all Offices Toll Free: 888.431.1311 • Local: 520.509.3555 or 311 • Fax: 520.866.5320 www.coscpinalcountyaz.gov/office.html Page 2 of 2 PB_FCAE_COSCPinal_08.21.17 Use only most current version