How to Probate a Washington Descendant's Estate ---
To "Do It Yourself" without a Lawyer

Change of Address of Personal Representative During Administration

If you change your address during your administration of the estate, WASHINGTON PROBATE suggests that you take the following steps:

  1. Download and complete a Change of Address of Personal Representative & Declaration of Mailing form.
  2. Mail a copy of it to:
    • If an intestacy:  Each Heir.
    • If a testacy and the four month statute of limitations period for filing a Will Contest has not yet expired:  Each Heir.
    • Each Beneficiary.
    • If the period for filing a Creditor’s Claim has not yet expired (Footnote 1):  Each possible creditor to whom you have sent actual notice and from whom you have not yet received a Creditor’s Claim.
    • Each creditor that has an outstanding (ie, filed, served, but unpaid) Creditor’s Claim.
    • Anyone else to whom you have sent any Notice in the past.
    • Anyone from whom you have received a Request for Special Notice.
    • Any agency to whom you have sent any information (eg, the IRS, which will likely want its own form used).
  3. To your partially completed Change of Address Etc. form, add the names and addresses of all the recipients of your mailing.
  4. File the original of your Change of Address Etc. form with the Court and obtain a conformed copy of it.
  5. If the period for filing a Creditor’s Claim has not yet expired, then any creditor who desires to file but has not yet filed a Creditor’s Claim will likely serve their claim by mailing it to you at your prior address.  WASHINGTON PROBATE encourages you to ensure that any Creditor’s Claim (and all other papers regarding the estate) received at your prior address will be promptly forwarded to you at your new address.
  6. Use your updated contact information on your Change of Address Etc. form and on all later pleadings to be filed with the Court.

Footnote 1:  Remember that the statute of limitations period for filing a Creditor’s Claim for any specific creditor is the later of:

  • 4 months from the date of first publication of your Probate Notice to Creditors, or
  • 30 days from the date of mailing of any actual notice to that creditor.