Small Estate Petition For Limited Letters Of Authority (Sumner)

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.

Small Estate Petition For Limited Letters Of Authority (Sumner) is a commonly used form within Tennessee. 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:

Atticus Fast Facts About Small Estate Petition For Limited Letters Of Authority (Sumner)

Sometimes it’s tough to find a quick summary— here’s the important details you should know about Small Estate Petition For Limited Letters Of Authority (Sumner):

• This form pertains to the State of Tennessee

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 Tennessee’s Form Small Estate Petition For Limited Letters Of Authority (Sumner) up to date, certain details can change from time-to-time with little or no communication.

Step 1 - Download the correct Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 Small Estate Petition For Limited Letters Of Authority (Sumner), take a break, and then review. Probate and estate settlement processes in TN 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 Small Estate Petition For Limited Letters Of Authority (Sumner) 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 Small Estate Petition For Limited Letters Of Authority (Sumner) 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.

Need help getting in touch with a local probate court or identifying a domicile probate jurisdiction?

👉 Find and Contact your Local Probate Court

👉 What is a Domicile Jurisdiction?

Sponsored by Atticus App

Need help with Tennessee Probate?

Join all the other families who have trusted Atticus through probate, and experience the peace that comes from knowing you're taking the right steps, spending the least amount of money, and not wasting a single second.

Start for free

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 Tennessee.

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

1. The sooner you begin, the faster Tennessee 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 Tennessee. 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee probate clerk or court for exact answers regarding Form Small Estate Petition For Limited Letters Of Authority (Sumner), and when in doubt— consult a qualified trust & estates lawyer for that area.

Small Estate Petition For Limited Letters Of Authority (Sumner) is one of the many probate court forms available for download through Atticus.

It may also be available through some Tennessee 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 Tennessee.

While Atticus automatically provides the latest forms, be sure to choose the correct version of Form Small Estate Petition For Limited Letters Of Authority (Sumner) 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 Tennessee probate court office.

Small Estate Petition For Limited Letters Of Authority (Sumner) 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 Tennessee-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 Tennessee Form Small Estate Petition For Limited Letters Of Authority (Sumner). You can use this to get an idea of the context of the form and what type of information is needed.

Sumner County Chancery Court Clerk & Master's Office 100 Public Square, Room 400 Gallatin, TN 37066 Petition For Small Estate Limited Letter Of Authority Decedent must have lived in Sumner County for a minimum of six months. Total Estate Value must be under $50,000.00 (Excludes Real Property). If there is ANY real property to be transferred out of the decedent's name, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED to file a small estate. (land, house and/or condo) Original Will must be filed with the petition. The Will is NOT being probated. It must be filed into Court to support the petition. A copy of the death ce11ificate must also be filed with the petition. There is a 45-day waiting period from the date of death for a small estate to be heard before the Court. You may request for the waiting period to be waived for good cause. Please submit a typed or handwritten letter outlining the specific needs/reasons for the 45-days to be waived. The Clerk & Master will determine if the waiting period will be waived after reviewing request. All heirs must be listed on the petition. Complete mailing addresses must be included. A competent adult that is not an heir may be allowed to serve as the Personal Representative, if all heirs have given their consent in writing. Consents must be filed into Court before petition can be heard. Limited Letters of Administration/ Testamentary must be signed by the Personal Representative and filed with petition. Filing fee is $150.50 - No personal checks are accepted. Please pay with cash, money order, cashier's check, or business check, made payable to Sumner County Chancery Court. Credit/Debit cards are accepted (A fee of $3 or 3% whichever is greater will be assessed when using a card). Sumner County Government does not benefit from this fee. • If Personal Representative(s) lives out of state, a Nonresident Fiduciary must be filed with the State of Tennessee. The Nonresident Certificate issued by the State of Tennessee must be filed into Court before the small estate can be heard. A copy of the application is available upon request. 615- 452- 4282 OR 615-451- 6036 OPTION 1- PROBATE DIVISION IN THE CHANCERY (PROBATE) COURT FOR SUMNER COUNTY, TENNESSEE AT GALLATIN IN RE: ESTATE OF _________________________ DOCKET# _____________________ PETITION FOR SMALL ESTATE LIMITED LETTERS OF AUTHORITY ADMINISTRATION/TESTAMENTARY Pursuant .to T.C.A. § 30-4-101, et seq. (under $50,000.00 Excludes Real Property) Your Personal Representative(s),___________________________________, would respectfully show unto the Court as follows: That the deceased, age _____, died on the ______ day of _________________, 20 _____, in _____________ County, State of _______________ and that his/her last residence was in Sumner County at (List Decedent's full address): _________________________________________________. __ Copy of Death Certificate __ The Decedent left no will __ The Decedent left a will, which does not require administration by the Court, but recorded pursuant to T.C.A. 30-4-103. (ORIGINAL WILL) The Decedent left the following unpaid debts at the time of his/her death: Creditor's Name and Address (If There Are No Debts, Write None Below) __ ________________________________________________________________ Amount $ __________ __________________________________________________________________ Amount $ __________ __________________________________________________________________ Amount $ __________ (Attach additional sheet if necessary) The Decedent died owning an interest in any business and all personal property: (List all personal property which includes cash, bank accounts, lock boxes, notes receivable, automobiles, stocks, bonds, life insurance, or household furnishings, etc.) Do not list jointly owned property. VaMuF\\u0001(Approximately __________________________________________________________________ $ ________________ __________________________________________________________________ $ ________________ __________________________________________________________________ $ ________________ _______________________________________________________________ $ ________________ (Attach additional sheet if necessary) Total Personal Estate $ _______________ List all Heirs. The following are the names, addresses, relationship, and age of all next of kin of the deceased: Name Address Age (Attach additional sheet if necessary) Your Personal Representative(s) is/are willing to collect and preserve all assets of the Estate, including the removal of any personal property from a property leased by the decedent and cancellation of insurance policies that are no longer applicable due to the decedent's death. Your Personal Representative(s) acknowledges the decedent DID NOT have an interest in any real property. Your Personal Representative(s) acknowledges liability to TennCare, if applicable, to the extent of the value of the personal property. Your Personal Representative(s) further acknowledges that the Personal Representative(s) and the sureties, if any, will automatically be discharged on the first anniversary of the signing of the Order. Your Personal Representative(s) does hereby solemnly swear or affirm that they will honestly and faithfully execute their duties according to the law of the State of Tennessee to the best of their knowledge and ability, so help me God. Your Personal Representative(s) further evidences by signature hereto that, subject to penalty of perjury, the information contained herein is not false or misleading and the Personal Representative(s) is not prohibited from filing this a affidavit because of having been sentenced to imprisonment in a penitentiary as set forth in § 40-20-115 or otherwise. The Personal Representative(s) is aware of and mindful of all duties imposed upon him/her in T.C.A. §30-4-101 et seq. This ________ day of _________________________, 20 ____\\u0011 Name of Personal Representative(s) Relationship to Decedent Address __ ___________________________________ Telephone Number(s) ____________________________________________ Email I certify under penalty of perjury that the foregoing Signature is true and correct. State of ______________________________________ County of ______________________________________ OR Sworn to and subscribed before me, this _________ day of ________________________, 20 ____. Signature Notary Public/ Deputy Clerk My Commission Expires: __________________________ THIS MATTER IS SET TO BE HEARD ON ______________OF ___________________AT _________________________. RelDtio n ship _________________________ _____________________________________ __ ____________________ _____ _________________________ _______________________________________ ____________________ _____ _________________________ _______________________________________ ____________________ _____ _________________________ _______________________________________ ____________________ _____ IN THE CHANCERY PROBATE COURT FOR SUMNER COUNTY, TENNESSEE AT GALLATIN ESTATE OF: __________________________________ DOCKET# ______________________ __ LIMITED LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION __ LIMITED LETTERS OF TESTAMENTARY Pursuant to T.C.A. 30-4-101, et seq. Whereas, it appearing that the above-named deceased person left property and debts subject to administration pursuant to the above-referenced statutory provisions and ______________________ is hereby authorized to serve in the limited role of Personal Representative. As such, Limited Letters of Administration/Letter Testamentary of a Small Estate are hereby issued to the above named individual being now therefore empowered to collect and preserve all assets of the estate, remove any personal property from a property leased by the decedent and cancel any insurance policies no longer applicable due to the decedents death. Said assets are limited to those itemized in the Petition, a copy of which is attached hereto. Bond is set at $ __________________, the total value of decedent's property shall not exceed $50,000. There is no real property at issue in this matter, and this limited letter in no way gives any authority to the personal representative to handle any real estate matters of the decedent. Entered this _________day of ____________________, 20 ____ . ________________________, CLERK AND MASTER I swear that all statements in the Small Estate documents I have executed and provided are true and accurate. I do solemnly swear or affirm that I will faithfully and honestly discharge the duties imposed upon me and as required by law. PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: __________________________ I, as Clerk, certify that these Letters are in full force and effect as of this date of issuance. '$TE: ___________________ CLERK: _______________________________