Chapter 863

CHAPTER 863

CLOSING ESTATES

863.01   Distribution of specific property to distributee and partial distribution before final judgment.

863.05   Execution and levies by creditors of distributees prohibited.

863.07   Assignment by distributee.

863.08   Exchange by distributee and surviving spouse.

863.09   Allowance for tombstone and care of grave.

863.11   Order in which assets appropriated; abatement.

863.13   No exoneration of encumbered property.

863.15   Debts to estate.

863.16   Value used in distribution of fractional shares.

863.17   Partition by agreement.

863.19   Valuation used in distribution of estate assets.

863.21   Construction of will, notice.

863.23   Determination and proof of heirship.

863.25   Petition for final judgment.

863.27   Contents of final judgment.

863.29   Recording final judgment.

863.31   Conclusiveness of final judgment.

863.33   Estates to be completed promptly.

863.35   Dormant estates.

863.37   Distribution of money or other property where payment or transfer is prohibited.

863.39   Escheats.

863.41   Receipts to be filed.

863.43   Distribution to ward; notice.

863.45   Receipts from guardians.

863.46   Remedy of creditors of certain heirs and legatees; service of citation.

863.47   Order of discharge of personal representative.

863.49   Inactive estates; summary discontinuance.

Ch. 863 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See definitions in ch. 851.

863.01 863.01 Distribution of specific property to distributee and partial distribution before final judgment. Before final judgment has been rendered the personal representative may deliver to any distributee possession of any specific property to which the distributee is entitled under the terms of the will or any statute. The personal representative may make one or more partial distributions of the estate, provided that other distributees and claimants are not prejudiced thereby. The personal representative may require the distributees to give security for the return of such property.

863.01 History History: 1993 a. 486.

863.01 Annotation Wisconsin’s New Probate Code. Erlanger. Wis. Law. Oct. 1998.

863.05 863.05 Execution and levies by creditors of distributees prohibited. Except as provided in s. 863.46, no garnishment, attachment or execution may issue against nor may any levy be made against any property of the estate under any judgment or cause of action against any distributee of the estate.

863.05 History History: 1985 a. 29.

863.05 Cross-reference Cross-reference: Ch. 816 and s. 813.026 provide remedies for creditors through the appointment of a receiver.

863.07 863.07 Assignment by distributee. If any person interested in an estate assigns all or part of his or her interest in the estate, other than an interest not assignable by the specific language of the will, as collateral or otherwise and the assignee serves a copy of the assignment on the personal representative of the estate and files a copy with the court in which the estate is being administered before the entry of the final judgment and before the property or interest covered by the assignment has been distributed under s. 863.01, the court shall assign to the assignee in the final judgment the interest or part of the interest of the assignor included within the assignment to the extent that the assignment is valid as determined by the court, after giving effect to any credits to which the assignor may prove himself or herself entitled. A personal representative incurs no liability to an assignee of a person interested for any acts performed or distribution made by the personal representative prior to the time a copy of the assignment is received by the personal representative or he or she has actual knowledge of the assignment.

863.07 History History: 1977 c. 449; 1999 a. 85.

863.08 863.08 Exchange by distributee and surviving spouse. In its final judgment or other order, the court shall assign items to the surviving spouse and distributee to conform with the exchange under s. 766.31 (3) (b) to the extent that the court approved the exchange.

863.08 History History: 1987 a. 393; 2005 a. 216.

863.09 863.09 Allowance for tombstone and care of grave.

863.09(1) (1) Tombstone. In case no provision is made in the will for a tombstone or monument or marker at the grave of the decedent, and none has been erected, the personal representative may expend a reasonable sum for that purpose. The expenditure is subject to the approval of the court and is classed as funeral expense.

863.09(2) (2) Care of grave. The court may order the personal representative to pay a suitable amount for the care of the grave of the decedent. The expenditure is classed as funeral expense.

863.09 History History: 1989 a. 309.

863.09 Cross-reference Cross-reference: For court orders concerning perpetual care of graves, see ss. 157.11 and 157.125.

863.11 863.11 Order in which assets appropriated; abatement. Shares of distributees abate in accordance with the rules under s. 854.18.

863.11 History History: 1983 a. 186; 1995 a. 225; 1997 a. 188.

863.11 Annotation A general direction to pay debts requires that the federal estate tax be deducted from the gross estate before computing the marital deduction as opposed to a contention that the full deduction be allowed since the tax should be paid from assets going to other heirs. Greene v. United States, 476 F.2d 116 (1973).

863.13 863.13 No exoneration of encumbered property. Specifically devised property that is subject to a mortgage or other encumbrance is subject to the rules under s. 854.05.

863.13 History History: 1993 a. 486; 1997 a. 188.

863.13 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See s. 859.43 which deals with payment of debts which are secured by an encumbrance on property in the estate.

863.15 863.15 Debts to estate. If a distributee of an estate is indebted to the estate, the treatment of the debt is governed by s. 854.12.

863.15 History History: 1993 a. 486; 2005 a. 216.

863.16 863.16 Value used in distribution of fractional shares. In distributing property to distributees who receive fractional shares of the estate under the statutes of descent and distribution or under provisions in a will, the personal representative shall divide the property among the distributees on the basis of the value of the property at the time of distribution unless the will provides otherwise.

863.17 863.17 Partition by agreement. Property passing to persons as joint tenants or tenants in common may be partitioned among those persons by the judgment of the court assigning the property, if a petition therefor signed by all persons interested in the property involved is filed with the court prior to the judgment. The petition must set out the manner in which the property is to be divided and the agreement of all persons interested in the property involved.

863.17 History History: 1977 c. 449.

863.19 863.19 Valuation used in distribution of estate assets. If a general bequest of estate assets, including a pecuniary bequest, in a dollar amount fixed by formula or otherwise is satisfied by a distribution in kind, the distribution shall be made at current fair market values unless the will expressly provides that another value may be used. If the will requires or permits a different value to be used, all assets available for distribution, including cash, shall unless otherwise expressly provided be so distributed that the assets, including cash, distributed in satisfaction of the bequest will be fairly representative of the net appreciation or depreciation in the value of the available property on the dates of distribution. A provision in a will that the personal representative may fix values for the purpose of distribution does not of itself constitute authorization to fix a value other than current fair market value.

863.19 Annotation The valuation of assets for distribution is the current market value at the time of distribution. Estate of Naulin, 56 Wis. 2d 100, 201 N.W.2d 599 (1972).