Succession Act, 1965

Administration of assets.

[New]

46.—(1) Where the estate of a deceased person is insolvent, it shall be administered in accordance with the rules set out in Part I of the First Schedule.

(2) (a) The right of retainer of a personal representative and his right to prefer creditors may be exercised in respect of all assets of the deceased, but the right of retainer shall only apply to debts owing to the personal representative in his own right whether solely or jointly with another person, and shall not be exercisable where the estate is insolvent.

(b) Subject to paragraph (a), nothing in this Act affects the right of retainer of a personal representative, or his right to prefer creditors.

(3) Where the estate of a deceased person is solvent, it shall, subject to rules of court and the provisions hereinafter contained as to charges on property of the deceased, and to the provisions, if any, contained in his will, be applicable towards the discharge of the funeral, testamentary and administration expenses, debts and liabilities and any legal right in the order mentioned in Part II of the First Schedule.

(4) Nothing in subsection (3) affects the rights of any creditor of the deceased or the legal right of a spouse.

(5) Where a creditor, a person entitled to a legal right or a personal representative applies an asset out of the order mentioned in Part II of the First Schedule, the persons entitled under the will or on intestacy shall have the right to have the assets marshalled so that a beneficiary whose estate or interest has been applied out of its order shall stand in the place of that creditor or person pro tanto as against any property that, in the said order, is liable before his own estate or interest.

(6) A claim to a share as a legal right or on intestacy in the estate of a deceased person is a claim against the assets of the estate to a sum equal to the value of that share.