Immediately on learning of the death of any person liable to the Agency, the County Supervisor will prepare Form RD 455-17, “Report on Deceased Borrower,” to determine whether any special servicing action is necessary unless the County Supervisor recommends settlement of the indebtedness under subpart B of part 1956 of this chapter. If a survivor will not continue with the loan, it may be necessary to make immediate arrangements with a survivor, executor, administrator, or other interested parties to complete the year's operations or to otherwise protect or preserve the security.

(a) Reporting. The borrower's case files including Form 455-17 will be forwarded promptly to the State Director for use in deciding the action to take if any of the following conditions exist (When it is necessary to send an incomplete Form RD 455-17, any additional information which may affect the State Director's decision will be sent as soon as available on a supplemental Form RD 455-17 or in a memorandum.):

(1) Probate or other administration proceedings have been started or are contemplated.

(2) The debts owed to the Agency are inadequately secured and the state has other assets from which collection could be made.

(3) The Agency's security has a value in excess of the indebtedness it secures and the deceased obligor owes other debts to the Agency which are unsecured or inadequately secured.

(4) The County Supervisor recommends continuation with a survivor who is not liable for the indebtedness or recommends transfer to, and assumption by, another party.

(5) The County Supervisor recommends, but does not have authority to approve liquidation.

(6) The County Supervisor wants advice on servicing the case.

(b) Probate or administration proceedings. Generally, probate or administration proceedings are started by relatives or heirs of the deceased or by other creditors. Ordinarily, the Agency will not start these proceedings because of the problems of designating an administrator or other similar official, posting bond, and paying costs. If probate or administration proceedings are started by other parties or at the Agency's request, and any security is to be liquidated by the Agency instead of by the administrator or executor or other similar official, it will be liquidated in accordance with the advice of OGC. The State Director may request OGC to recommend that the U.S. Attorney bring probate or administration proceedings when it appears that:

(1) Such proceedings will not be started by other parties;

(2) The Agency's interests could best be protected by filing a proof of claim in such proceedings, and

(3) Public administrators or other similar officials or private parties, including banks and trust companies, are eligible to, and will serve as administrator or other similar official and will provide the required bond.

(c) Filing proof of claim. When a proof of claim is to be filed, it will be prepared on a form approved by OGC, executed by the State Director, and transmitted to OGC. It will be filed by OGC or by the Agency official as directed by OGC or it will be referred by OGC to the U.S. Attorney for filing if representation of the Agency by counsel may be required. If a judgment claim is involved, the notification to the U.S. Attorney will be the same as for judgment claims in bankruptcy. If a direct loan is involved, the proof of claim will not be prepared until the note has been assigned to the Government. A proof of claim will be filed when probate or administration proceedings are started, unless:

(1) After considering liens and priority rights of the Agency and other parties, costs of administration, and charges against the estate, the Agency cannot reach the assets in the estate except for the Agency's own security and the Agency will liquidate the security by foreclosure or otherwise if necessary to collect its claim, or

(2) Continuation with an individual or transfer to and assumption by another party is approved, and either the debt owed to the Agency is fully secured, or the amount of the debt in excess of the value of the security which could be collected by filing a claim is obtained in cash or additional security, or

(3) The debt owed to the Agency by the estate is settled under subpart B of part 1956 of this chapter, well ahead of the deadline for filing proof of claim.

(d) Priority of claims.

(1) Each secured claim will take its relative lien priority to the extent of the value of the property serving as security for it. These claims include those secured by mortgages, deeds of trust, landlord's contractual liens, and other contractual liens or security instruments executed by the borrower or real or personal property. However, tax, judgment, attachment, garnishment, laborer's, mechanic's, materialmen's, landlord's statutory liens, and other noncontractual lien claims may or may not be secured claims. Therefore, if any noncontractual claims are allowed as secured claims and the Agency claim is not paid in full, the advice of OGC will be obtained as to whether they constitute secured claims and as to their relative priorities.

(2) Unsecured claims will be handled as follows:

(i) The remaining assets of the estate, including any value of security for more than the amount of the secured claims against it, are to be applied first to payment of administration costs and charges against the estate and second to unsecured debts of the deceased.

(ii) If the total of the remaining assets in the estate being administered is not enough to pay all administration costs, charges against the estate, and unsecured debts of the deceased, the Government's unsecured claims against the remaining assets will have priority over all other unsecured claims, except the costs of administration and charges against the estate. Under such circumstances unsecured claims are payable in the following order of priority:

(A) Costs of administration and charges against the estate unless under State law they are payable after the Government's unsecured claims. Such costs and charges include costs of administration of the estate, allowable funeral expenses, allowances of minor children and surviving spouse, and dower and curtesy rights.

(B) The Government's unsecured claims.

(3) A State supplement will be issued as needed taking into consideration 31 U.S.C. §3713 lien waivers and subordinations, and notice and other statutory provisions which affect lien priorities.

(e) Withdrawal of claim. It may not be necessary to withdraw a claim when it is paid in full by someone other than the estate or when compromised. However, when it is necessary to permit closing of an estate, compromise of a claim, or for other justifiable reasons, the State Director will recommend to OGC that the claim be withdrawn on receipt of cash or security, or both, of a value at least equal to the amount that could be recovered under the claim against the estate. When the Agency keeps existing security, arrangements must be made to assure that withdrawal of the claim will not affect the Agency's rights under the existing notes or security instruments with respect to the retained security. In some cases, with OGC's advice, the claim may be properly handled without filing a formal petition for withdrawal of the claim. However, if the claim has been referred to the U.S. Attorney, or if a formal withdrawal of the claim is necessary, the matter will be referred by OGC to the U.S. Attorney.

(f) Liquidation of security. When the County Supervisor determines that the account of a deceased borrower is in monetary or nonmonetary default, and liquidation is necessary because no survivor or third party has applied to assume the borrower's the Agency loan, chattel security and real estate security will be liquidated promptly in accordance with this subpart and subpart A of part 1965 of this chapter. Before liquidation, the notices required by subpart S of part 1951 of this chapter will be sent to the executor of the estate and/or other appropriate person(s) or entity(ies) as advised by OGC. If a suvivor(s) or heir(s) who will continue with the borrower's operation applies for servicing, the Agency will determine whether these individuals meet the requirements of paragraph (g) of this section. If a third party who will not continue with the borrower's operation applies for servicing, the requirements of §1962.34 of this subpart, or §1965.47 of subpart A of part 1965 of this chapter, as applicable, must be met. To qualify for servicing, the eligibility and feasibility requirements in §1951.909 of subpart S of part 1951 of this chapter must also be met. However, the borrower's estate is not eligible for servicing. After the provisions of subpart S of part 1951 of this chapter have been complied with, and the opportunity to appeal has expired, the State Director will request OGC to effect collection if the proceeds from the sale of security are insufficient to pay in full the indebtedness owed to the Agency and other assets are available in the estate or in the hands of heirs.

(g) Continuation of secured debt and transfer or security. When a surviving member of a deceased borrower's family or other person is interested in continuing the loan and taking over the security for the benefit of all or a part of the deceased borrower's family who were directly dependent on the borrower for their support at the time of the borrower's death, continuation may be approved subject to the following:

(1) Any individual who is liable for the indebtedness of the deceased borrower may continue with the loan provided that individual can comply with the obligations of the notes or other evidence of debt and chattel or real estate security instruments and so long as liquidation is not necessary to protect the interest of the Agency. When an individual who is liable for the indebtedness is to continue with the account, Form 450-10, “Advice of Borrower's Change of Address or Name,” will be sent to the Finance Office to change the account to that individual's name. A new case number will be assigned or, if the continuing individual already has a case number, that number will be used regardless of whether that individual assumed all or a portion of the amount of the debt owed by the estate of the deceased.

(2) When a surviving member of a deceased borrower's family, a relative or other individual who is not liable for the indebtedness desires to continue with the farming or other operations and the loan, the State Director may approve the transfer of chattel or real estate security or both to the individual and the assumption of the debt secured by such property without regard to whether the transferee is eligible for the type of loan being assumed, subject to the following conditions:

(i) The transferee will continue the farming or other operations for the benefit of all or a part of the deceased borrower's family who were directly dependent on the borrower for their support at the time of death.

(ii) The amount to be assumed and the repayment rates and terms will be the same as provided in §1962.34(a) of this Subpart.

(iii) The State Director determines that the continuation will not adversely affect repayment of the loan.

(iv) The transferee has never been liable for a previous Farm Loan Programs direct farm loan or loan guarantee which was reduced or terminated in a manner that resulted in a loss to the Government.

(3) In determining whether to continue with individuals, whether they are already liable or assume the indebtedness, all pertinent factors will be considered including whether:

(i) Probate or administration proceedings have been or will be started and, with OGC's advice, whether the filing of a claim on the debt owed to the Agency in such proceedings is necessary to protect the Agency's interests.

(ii) Arrangements can be made with the heirs, creditors, executors, administrators, and other interested parties to transfer title to the security to the continuing individual and to avoid liquidating the assets so that the individual can continue with the loan on a feasible basis.

(4) If continuation is approved, all reasonable and practical steps, short of foreclosure or other litigation, will be taken to vest title to the security in the joint debtor or transferee.

(5) The deceased borrower's estate may be released from liability for the Agency indebtedness if title to the security is vested in the joint debtor or transferee, and:

(i) The full amount of the debt is assumed, or

(ii) If only a portion of the debt is assumed, the amount assumed equals the amount as determined by OGC which could be collected from the assets of the estate of the deceased borrower, including the value of any security or EO property.

(h) Special servicing of deceased EO borrower cases. If the EO loan is secured, all paragraphs in this section will be followed. If the EO loan is unsecured, paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) of this section will be followed along with the following requirements.

(1) An individual who is liable for the indebtedness of the deceased borrower and wishes to continue with the EO debt and the EO property, may do so in accordance with paragraph (g)(1) of this section.

(2) A surviving member of the deceased borrower's family, a joint operator with the deceased borrower, a relative, or other individual who is not liable for the EO debt who desires to continue with the farming or other operation may do so in accordance with paragraph (g)(2) of this section. This individual must execute a loan agreement in addition to the assumption agreement and secure the EO debt with a lien on the remaining EO property when title to the property is vested in the individual and the County Supervisor determines that security is necessary to protect the interests of the deceased borrower's family or the Agency.

(3) If no individual listed in paragraphs (h) (1) and (2) of this section wishes to continue, but a member of the borrower's family turns over to the Agency the EO property in which the estate has an interest and which is not essential for minimum family living needs, the County Supervisor will take possession of EO property and sell it in accordance with §1962.42 of this Subpart. If this cannot be done, or if real property is involved, the case will be referred to OGC. If the property is sold, notice will be delivered to any of the borrower's heirs who are in possession of the property and to any administrator or executor of the borrower's estate.

[50 FR 45783, Nov. 1, 1985, as amended at 51 FR 4140, Feb. 3, 1986; 51 FR 45439, Dec. 18, 1986; 56 FR 15826, Apr. 18, 1991; 61 FR 35931, July 9, 1996; 62 FR 10158, Mar. 5, 1997; 68 FR 7701, Feb. 18, 2003; 80 FR 9903, Feb. 24, 2015]