Government operations
Probate: notice of death for child support obligations
California expands probate death-notice rules to cover known child-support debts of decedents, heirs, and beneficiaries starting in 2027.
The change gives child-support agencies notice when estate participants are known to owe support, while limiting the notice duty to actual knowledge and not requiring investigations.
What the law does
- Requires a personal representative or estate attorney to notify the Director of the Department of Child Support Services within 90 days after probate authority is issued when they actually know the decedent, an heir, or a beneficiary owes court-ordered child support.
- Allows notice through the existing probate-notice process or electronically through the department's website.
- Gives a local child support agency four months after receiving notice that a decedent owed support to file an estate claim.
- Leaves unchanged other legal collection methods and deadlines when the person owing support is an heir or beneficiary.
- Applies to estates in which probate authority is first issued on or after January 1, 2027.
Who it affects
- Personal representatives and attorneys handling estates.
- Decedents' heirs and beneficiaries who owe court-ordered child support.
- Local child support agencies seeking unpaid support from estates.