(a) At any time prior to the expiration of the period fixed for the payment of claims, the personal representative may pay the preferred claims as provided in § 30-2-317 for which the estate may be liable, and upon order of court any debt of the decedent for which security may have been given that is in danger of being sold by way of foreclosure to the detriment of the estate.

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 30-2-318

  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
  • Executor: includes an administrator, where the subject matter applies to an administrator. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. Source: OCC
  • Personal representative: when applied to those who represent a decedent, includes executors and administrators, unless the context implies heirs and distributees. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) If the executor or administrator knows or is willing to undertake that an estate is solvent, the executor or administrator may pay debts, but if the executor or administrator pays any debts other than those specified in subsection (a) prior to the expiration of the time fixed for the payment of claims, and the estate proves insolvent, the executor or administrator and the sureties of the executor or administrator shall be liable to each and every creditor for the creditor’s ratable share of the insolvent estate.