Handling a Boston, Suffolk County estate where one of those cleanup joints comes in after a person dies and after a day of fiddling around, they send you a bill for $30,000. Had that happen when my father died. Cop recommended an outfit that came, worked 1/2 a day, spent most of their time smoking cigars and gabbing and then sent bill for $9,500. Had to fight them and insurance company to get them to drop $500 (the deductible) and get insurance to settle their bill.
It's these types of things that are involved in probate administration, which, loosely defined, means cleaning up all the affairs, accounts and problems of the one who died. It's one of the reasons estates can take time to be settled.
It also can be an opportunity for some to take advantage. In the above instance, it may have to involved litigation to fight the bill. It's one of the reasons probate administration can be complicated.
