South Carolina § 62-3-806 - Allowance of claims.

§ 62-3-806. Allowance of claims.

(a) As to claims presented in the manner described in Section 62-3-804(1) within the time limit prescribed in Section 62-3-803, within sixty days after the presentment of the claim, or within fourteen months after the death of the decedent, whichever is later, the personal representative must serve upon the claimant a notice stating the claim has been allowed or disallowed in whole or in part. Service of such notice shall be by United States mail, personal service, or otherwise as permitted by rule and a copy of the notice shall be filed with the probate court along with proof of delivery setting forth the date of mailing or other service on the claimant. A notice of disallowance or partial disallowance of a claim must contain a warning that the claim will be barred to the extent disallowed unless the claimant commences a proceeding for allowance of the claim in accordance with Section 62-3-804(2) within thirty days of the mailing or other service of the notice of disallowance or partial disallowance. Every claim which is disallowed in whole or in part by the personal representative is barred so far as not allowed unless the claimant commences a proceeding for allowance of the claim in accordance with Section 62-3-804(2) not later than thirty days after the mailing or other service of the notice of disallowance or partial disallowance by the personal representative. For good cause shown, the court may reasonably extend the time for filing the notice of allowance or disallowance of a properly filed claim.

(b) The personal representative of a decedent's estate may commence a proceeding to obtain probate court approval of the allowance, in whole or part, of any claim or claims presented in the manner described in Section 62-3-804(1), within the time limit prescribed in Section 62-3-803, and not barred by subsection (a). The proceeding may be commenced by the filing of a summons and petition with the probate court, and service of the same upon the claimant or claimants whose claims are in issue; and such other interested parties as the probate court may direct by order entered at the time the proceeding is commenced. Notice of hearing on the petition shall be given to interested parties in accordance with Section 62-1-401.

(c) A judgment in a proceeding in another court against a personal representative to enforce a claim against a decedent's estate is an allowance of the claim. Upon obtaining such a judgment a claimant must file a certified copy of its judgment with the probate court in which the decedent's estate is being administered.

(d) Unless otherwise provided in any judgment in another court entered against the personal representative and except for claims under 62-3-803, allowed claims bear interest at the legal rate (as determined according to Section 34-31-20(A)) for the period commencing upon the later of fourteen months after the date of the decedent's death or the last date upon which the claim could have been properly presented under Section 62-3-803, unless based on a contract making a provision for interest, in which case the claim bears interest in accordance with the terms of the contract.

(e) Allowance of a claim is evidence the personal representative accepts the claim as a valid debt of the decedent's estate. Allowance of a claim may not be construed to imply the estate will have sufficient assets with which to pay the claim.

HISTORY: 1986 Act No. 539, SECTION 1; 1987 Act No. 171, SECTIONS 36, 37; 1988 Act No. 659, SECTION 19; 2010 Act No. 244, SECTION 17, eff June 7, 2010; 2013 Act No. 100, SECTION 1, eff January 1, 2014.