How do I pay off a lien on my home if lien holder is dead?

[Unregistered]

My step grandmother received a judgment against me in a court battle over real estate and oil royalties some 20 yrs. ago. Her attorney placed a lien on my home for the amount of the judgment (approx. $2,500), but no attempt to collect was ever made. She died 3 years ago without a will, but a trust was left to me and my siblings as part of the court settlement in the court case. She had no living heirs other than me and my siblings.

I was trying to refinance my home and the lien was found by the title search. I thought it had fallen off since it was so long ago (her attorney is also dead). If I pay off this lien, who would I pay? Myself?

 

[Michael Wechsler]

You may need to speak to the executor of your late grandmother's estate. You may also need to speak to the person in charge of managing the trust (called the "trustee"). Since I am assuming there are others involved, it wouldn't be fair if the $25,000 that you owed and was supposed to be distributed to each of you in a certain manner would suddenly be wiped off the books. Obviously you'd then have a windfall. If this is the case, it could be a little more complicated. Either way, I think you'll need to speak to either or both of the individuals I've mentioned above.