Short answer. The administrator has fifteen days after being served the claim to file an answer specifically admitting or denying it, and must raise any offsetting claim the decedent had against the claimant in that same answer, or lose the right to raise it, though the court may extend the deadline.

What the law says

Within fifteen days after service of a copy of the claim on the executor or administrator, he shall file his answer admitting or denying the claim specifically, and setting forth the substance of the matters which are relied upon to support the admission or denial. If he has no knowledge sufficient to enable him to admit or deny specifically, he shall state such want of knowledge. The executor or administrator in his answer shall allege in offset any claim which the decedent before death had against the claimant, and his failure to do so shall bar the claim forever.

Rule 86, Section 10 — Answer of executor or administrator. Offsets. Read the full provision →

A fifteen-day answer deadline

Once a claim is served on the executor or administrator, the clock starts running immediately: they have fifteen days to file an answer specifically admitting or denying the claim and setting forth the substance of what supports that position, or, where they lack sufficient knowledge, stating that want of knowledge instead. A bare, unexplained denial is not enough — the answer has to say what facts or documents the admission or denial rests on, so the court and the claimant can see the actual basis for the administrator's position.

Offsets must be raised now or never

The same answer is also the only vehicle for raising any claim the decedent had against that same claimant before death, as an offset to what is being sought. Failing to allege the offset in the answer bars it forever, making this a use-it-or-lose-it opportunity rather than something that can be raised later in the proceeding, whether in a subsequent pleading in the same case or in an entirely separate action against the claimant.

The court can extend the deadline

The fifteen-day period is not absolutely rigid: the court has discretion to extend the time for filing the answer, giving the administrator some flexibility where circumstances genuinely warrant more time, while the default timeline still keeps most ordinary claims moving forward without unnecessary or indefinite delay in the overall process. An administrator who anticipates needing more than fifteen days should ask the court for an extension before the period runs, rather than simply filing late and hoping the delay goes unnoticed.

Why the specificity requirement matters

Requiring a specific admission or denial, rather than a general one, keeps the administrator from stonewalling a legitimate claim against the estate while also protecting the estate from simply having to pay whatever a creditor demands. It forces the administrator to actually investigate the claim within the fifteen-day window and commit to a documented position, which in turn frames exactly what remains disputed if the claim proceeds to a hearing before the court.

Related provisions

Note. Statute text quoted on this page is reproduced from the official enactment and is linked to the full provision. The explanation around it is general legal information from Vivas & Nobles Law Office, not legal advice. Whether it applies to your situation depends on facts only a lawyer reviewing them can assess.