Can I get someone else's credit report?

September 14, 2009 9:14 AM

How do I legally get a copy of my ancestors credit report?

An estranged relative died last year. I was the first member of my family to contact the county (in NY) about the death. They sent me all of my relative's bills including many credit card accounts in order for me to settle the estate under the small estate program. Shortly thereafter another relative decided he wanted to take care of the estate and I sent all of the paper work to him. Well he didn't end up taking care of it and now I've got certified letters from the county coming to me and have been warned that I'll be hearing from the funeral home soon regarding their bill.

I have all the information I need to settle the estate except the credit card information. I can't call the relative with it because it will start a new round of drama where he will promise to file and not do it again. How do I legally get a copy of the credit report?

posted by a22lamia to law & government (10 comments total)

Call a lawyer
posted by dfriedman at 9:17 AM on September 14

Just to clarify: are you asking about this because you are planning to pay off your relative's credit card debt? Unless you are a cosigner on a credit card account, you are not responsible for that debt.

My apologies if that's not why you're asking.
posted by ocherdraco at 9:18 AM on September 14

Ocherdraco - Nope that is not what I am asking, but thanks for your answer!

dfriedman - Thank you for your answer. I live in California, do you, by any chance have a lawyer you would refer me to? Or perhaps know of a lawyer referral service that covers Dutchess County? Because that, unlike your answer, would be helpful.
posted by a22lamia at 9:23 AM on September 14 [2 favorites]

I live in California, do you, by any chance have a lawyer you would refer me to? Or perhaps know of a lawyer referral service that covers Dutchess County?

I don't have any specific suggestions, but here is the MeFi wiki page about how to find a lawyer to get legal advice (which is suggested fairly often in law-related AskMe questions).
posted by burnmp3s at 9:35 AM on September 14

thank you burnmp3s!

And apologies to dfriedman if I was a bit harsh. This has been a nightmare of a situation that has brought out a lot of raw feelings in my family and having to deal with it 3,000 miles away is frustrating at best.
posted by a22lamia at 9:39 AM on September 14

I'm assuming Dutchess County is the one in New York. A google search for Dutchess County probate lawyers yields this: http://www.google.com/search?q=dutchess+county+probate+lawyers&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari

no clue about any of them, and I would imagine any probate lawyer in New ayork State can tell you how to proceed.

Ask Metafilter won't get you the information you need. Calling a lawyer will.

And, no, you were not harsh.
posted by dfriedman at 9:52 AM on September 14

IANAL.

If you have been declared the Administrator of the estate (which, from the sound of things, you might have been), then you need a copy of the Letters from the Duchess County surrogates' court indicating that you are now the administrator, as well as an official Death Certificate. Once you have these things, you can check with the credit reporting agencies, and see if they'll give you a copy of the report.

And, yeah - having a lawyer is not only beneficial in the usual sense of having an advisor who can navigate the convoluted mess that is New York's Estate Law, but in that you really need someone who can be in Dutchess County to do the leg work for you. This stuff is really hard when you can't show up and sign for things yourself.

Good luck!
posted by Citrus at 10:15 AM on September 14

This is not anything you can handle on your own. Get an attorney in the county of the death/estate. You'll need one for a number of reasons, including this.
posted by dios at 11:46 AM on September 14

You are all very right - particularly because things get even messier than I have let on here. I think I just needed someone to say "Amy you are in over your head" (thanks all - I needed that). Unfortunately not one of the attorneys I have talked to today wants to go anywhere near the case.
posted by a22lamia at 2:40 PM on September 14

Free annual credit report? Call the credit card companies and ask for new copies of the records? (If they get the feeling that they will be paid if they send it, they WILL!)

Good luck, and kudos to you for even doing it!
posted by Jinx of the 2nd Law at 10:31 PM on September 14