FAQs

AscensionPoint handles financial matters for Clients who have been informed a Customer has recently passed away. Our intention is to resolve financial matters of the Customer with the Authorized Estate Representative, to the extent that the Estate is able to do so. In this regard, we must identify and verify the Decedent’s Authorized Estate Representative, also known as the Executor or Personal Representative. State and federal regulations prevent us from disclosing any details concerning the Decedent’s financial matters with anyone other than the Authorized Estate Representative. Once the Authorized Estate Representative is verified, we seek to resolve financial matters to the extent that the Estate is able to do so.

If you are the Authorized Estate Representative, you may securely resolve a financial matter of the Decedent online click here, by mail, or over the phone by calling 888-806-9074 (TTY: 800-877-8339).

No, we do not seek to hold anyone personally responsible for the financial matters of the Estate. Only the Estate may be responsible for the resolution of the Decedent’s financial matters placed with us, to the extent that it is able to do so. We’re seeking to identify the Authorized Estate Representative to speak with them and identify whether the Estate is in the position to resolve the Decedent’s financial matters. If the Estate is not in position to resolve the Decedent’s financial matters, then that is fine as we do not seek to hold anyone personally responsible for the financial matters of the Decedent.

The letter you received is often referred to as a “location letter,” and is sent to the last known address our Client had on file for its Customer. The letter is part of our effort to locate the executor or Authorized Estate Representative. State and federal regulations prevent us from disclosing any details concerning the financial matters of a Decedent in a location letter addressed to the “Estate of” (please see the Federal Trade Commission’s Statement of Policy Regarding Communications in Connection with the Collection of Decedents’ Debts and Regulation F). Once we have identified the Authorized Estate Representative, a letter detailing the financial matters and other important disclosures will be sent to the Authorized Estate Representative within five days of the initial communication.

Founded in 2007, AscensionPoint is a nationally licensed recovery specialist solely focused on Estate and Probate matters. We are longstanding members of the American Collection Association International and other reputable trade groups, and have earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. We’re proud of the fact that we receive high marks for our work in a highly regulated industry. Just as important is the sensitivity and empathy we strive to bring to grieving family members as we mitigate financial issues. Our founders sought to create a more survivor-centric approach to Estate and Probate recoveries, built on the values of honesty and integrity, as well as compassion and respect.

Data security and compliance are top priorities for us. It’s the reason we need to confirm your identity before we release information pertaining to any financial matter in our office. Because of the high value we place on protecting personal data, we are committed to taking all actions to ensure the prevention, detection, and immediate response of any unauthorized access or disclosure of a financial matter.

If you are receiving unwanted calls or letters, then please call our toll-free number so we may immediately discontinue communications. Please be sure to provide ALL the numbers we have been calling so we can make sure each one is added to our Do Not Call list. If you do not reach a representative, then please leave a message with the name of the Decedent and/or the number(s) called so we can identify the financial matter(s) and have the number(s) removed. Our toll- free number is 888-806-9074 (TTY: 800-877-8339).

It’s good to be cautious and fortunately, it’s easy to verify who we are and the legitimacy of our calls. As the premiere Estate and Probate service provider in the United States, we’ve been in operation since 2007 and have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. We work in a highly regulated industry with oversite from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other state regulatory bodies that prohibit deceptive, unfair, and abusive practices.

Our Clients place financial matters with us as soon as they are notified that a valued Customer has passed away. Usually, our Clients are informed relatively soon after a Customer’s date of death, but occasionally, notification can take several months. As the Estate and Probate service provider, we appreciate that it can be upsetting to be contacted about a loved one’s financial matter long after they have passed away. We are committed to doing all we can to mitigate the situation with the utmost empathy and respect.

If the Estate has no assets, only has assets held jointly with another person, or is completely insolvent (i.e. there is no money to pay creditor claims), then you should call or write to let us know so we can discontinue contacting you. If the Estate is insolvent but has funds to pay a portion of creditor claims, then please provide us with the information on the Pro Rata Distribution.

To enroll for online access, please click here.

You may submit estate information after you have setup an online account. To set this up, please click here. Once your information is verified, your online account will be activated, and you will be able to upload Estate information.  The Authorized Estate Representative may also receive a paper questionnaire that can be filled out and returned to our office.

We are committed to ensuring that all our interactions are respectful and professional. If you feel we have not fulfilled this commitment and are dissatisfied with communications you have received from us for any reason, or if you would like to Resolve an Issue with AscensionPoint, please contact our Compliance Department at compliance@ascensionpoint.com.

As an Estate Recovery Specialist, we recognize the special responsibility we have to perform our duties with the utmost sympathy and compassion. To ensure our high standards are maintained, our team members receive special training to ensure sensitivity and empathy when working with grieving family members. In addition, we also direct family members to resources to help them manage difficult emotions that come with losing a loved one:

View Resources

We understand and empathize that the terms we use may be unfamiliar as the process of handling the financial matters of a deceased loved one may be something new to Authorized Estate Representatives. Due to compliance and legal regulations, we must adhere to certain requirements including the utilization of certain terms and verbiage that may be new and hard to understand to someone who is unfamiliar with them. To help, we have put together this glossary of frequently used terms:

• Decedent: Refers to a person who has passed away, i.e., a deceased person.
• Client: Refers to the party that has placed a Decedent’s financial matter with AscensionPoint for resolution.
• Customer: Refers to the Decedent’s previous relationship with AscensionPoint’s Client, with whom the Decedent had a financial matter.
• Authorized Estate Representative: Also known as the Executor or Personal Representative, this is person is responsible for carrying out the terms of a will, distributing assets and satisfying the obligations of the Decedent’s Estate. If there is no will, the court will typically name a person or institution to fulfill the responsibilities which include:
  • Collecting assets of the deceased person
  • Paying any liabilities remaining (of the Estate)
  • Distributing assets of the Estate to beneficiaries named in the will or determined as such by the Executor
  • Estate: In the context of a deceased person, an Estate is created whenever a person passes away. The Estate is typically the total value of a Decedent’s assets minus any of the Decedent’s liabilities. An Estate includes the Decedent’s own property, but not assets placed in trust, payable-on-death benefits, jointly held assets, or other assets over which the Decedent had control, but did not directly belong solely to the Decedent.
• Probate: The legal process in which a will is reviewed to determine whether it is valid and authentic. Probate also refers to the general administering of a deceased person’s will or the Estate of a deceased person without a will.
  • Should a creditor wish to have a financial matter satisfied by the Estate paid, typically a creditors’ claim must be submitted to the Probate court and/or the Authorized Estate Representative.
  • Creditor claims are listed under debts in the Inventory.
• Estate Recovery Specialist: A company who attempts to resolve its Clients’ financial matters involving a deceased Customer with the Authorized Estate Representative in a professional and compassionate manner.
• Pro Rata Distribution: Refers to a proportionate allocation. It is a method of assigning an amount to a fraction, according to its share of the whole.
• No-Asset Estate: A No-Asset Estate is one that consists of assets that are not subject to Probate and may include the following:
  • Joint Tenancy or Jointly Held Assets
  • Insurance Benefits
  • 401K
  • IRA
  • Employee Benefit Plan
  • Personal Property