§5-24-15. Rights of creditors and others.

(a) If other assets of the estate are insufficient, a transfer resulting from a right of survivorship or POD designation under this chapter is not effective against the estate of a deceased party to the extent needed to pay claims against the estate and statutory allowances to the surviving spouse and children.

(b) A surviving party or beneficiary who receives payment from an account after death of a party is liable to account to the personal representative of the decedent for a proportionate share of the amount received to which the decedent, immediately before death, was beneficially entitled under Section 5-24-11, to the extent necessary to discharge the claims and allowances described in subsection (a) remaining unpaid after application of the decedent's estate. A proceeding to assert the liability may not be commenced unless the personal representative has received a written demand by the surviving spouse, a creditor, a child, or a person acting for a child of the decedent. The proceeding must be commenced within one year after death of the decedent.

(c) A surviving party or beneficiary against whom a proceeding to account is brought may join as a party to the proceeding a surviving party or beneficiary of any other account of the decedent.

(d) Sums recovered by the personal representative must be administered as part of the decedent's estate. This section does not affect the protection from claims of the personal representative or estate of a deceased party provided in Section 5-24-26 for a financial institution that makes payment in accordance with the terms of the account.

(e) In this section:

(1) CHILD includes any individual entitled to take as a child by intestate succession from the parent whose relationship is involved and excludes any person who is only a stepchild, a foster child, a grandchild, or any more remote descendant.

(2) CLAIMS, in respect to the estate of a decedent, includes liabilities of the decedent whether arising in contract, tort, or otherwise, and liabilities of the estate which arise at or after the death of the decedent, including funeral expenses and expenses of administration. The term does not include estate or inheritance taxes, or demands or disputes regarding title of a decedent to specific assets alleged to be included in the estate.

(Acts 1997, No. 97-644, p. 1177, §1.)