Order In Which Debts Are Paid

[Bunny11]

Is there an order in which estate debts are settled or does it depend on the wording or the will?

My lovely mum died last year, at the time she owned a house and had a small amount of cash, in the region of 15k.

My lovely mum’s will states that the house is to be sold and the proceeds divided between her two adult children and the 15k was left to the adult child who minded her.

Will the funeral cost and the cost of maintaining her house come out of the cash legacy, so in effect be paid for by one adult child, or are the costs apportioned over the whole estate?

I’m the executor, my sister is the one who took care of my mum. There is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that my mother wanted my sister to have this small extra consideration in recognition of the care she provided but sister is proud and easy to offend, handing her the cash out of my share at the end won’t wash.

 

[Thirsty]

Can you print the wording of the will here (exclude names)? You'll get a better answer with more information.

 

[Jumpstartdublin]

Sorry to hear about your sad loss. If both siblings are agreeable then the execution of will should be straightforward. The payment of outstanding liabilities, including funeral expenses, would normally be paid from the proceeds of the estate in advance of residual sharing among beneficiaries.