Bill > HB333

This bill amends Title 12 of the Delaware Code to increase the maximum value of a decedent's personal estate that can be distributed without the formal appointment of an executor or administrator, known as "letters of administration." Specifically, it raises the threshold from $30,000 to $50,000. This allows certain individuals, including the surviving spouse, specified relatives, a licensed funeral director, or the named executor in a will, to claim and distribute the decedent's personal property by executing an affidavit confirming that no personal representative appointment is pending, 30 days have passed since the death, all known debts are paid, the surviving spouse's allowance has been handled, and the decedent did not own real estate in Delaware as a tenant in common. The bill also clarifies the order of preference for who can receive the personal estate, prioritizing the named executor, followed by the spouse, children, parents, siblings, grandchildren, and grandparents, and then a funeral director. Additionally, it grants the named executor or next of kin the right to access the decedent's vehicle and residential rental unit to retrieve clothing for burial or viewing and all belongings from the unit, respectively, under specific conditions and timeframes.