Tenn. Code Ann. § 31-1-107

(a) In any case where the United States treasury department determines there exists an overpayment of federal income tax and the person in whose favor the overpayment is determined is dead at the time the overpayment of tax is to be refunded and where no administrator or executor has been appointed within sixty (60) days of the death of the deceased person, and irrespective of whether the deceased had filed a joint and several or separate income tax return, the amount of the overpayment, if not in excess of five hundred dollars ($500), shall be the sole and separate property of the decedent's survivor or survivors, if any, entitled thereto in accordance with the laws of descent and distribution of the state, and refund of the overpayment directly to the survivor or survivors by the United States shall operate as a complete acquittal and discharge to it of liability from any suit, claim or demand of whatsoever nature by any creditor of the decedent or other person. (b) In the event the person to whom soil conservation payments are due from the United States under the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act ( 16 U.S.C. § 590a et seq.) of the Congress of the United States dies before the payments are made, then the payments shall be made to the surviving spouse of that person for the use of the surviving spouse and minor children, and in the event there are minor children and no surviving spouse (the mother or father of the minor children), then and in that event the payments shall be made to the natural guardian of the minor children; and in the event there is no surviving spouse, or minor children, then the payments shall be made to those entitled under the laws of descent and distribution of the state, unless the deceased leaves a will, in which event they shall be made to those entitled under the will. All such payments shall be free from the claims of any and all creditors, except the United States. Acts 1976, ch. 538, §§ 9, 10; T.C.A., §§ 31-118, 31-119.
(a) In any case where the United States treasury department determines there exists an overpayment of federal income tax and the person in whose favor the overpayment is determined is dead at the time the overpayment of tax is to be refunded and where no administrator or executor has been appointed within sixty (60) days of the death of the deceased person, and irrespective of whether the deceased had filed a joint and several or separate income tax return, the amount of the overpayment, if not in excess of five hundred dollars ($500), shall be the sole and separate property of the decedent's survivor or survivors, if any, entitled thereto in accordance with the laws of descent and distribution of the state, and refund of the overpayment directly to the survivor or survivors by the United States shall operate as a complete acquittal and discharge to it of liability from any suit, claim or demand of whatsoever nature by any creditor of the decedent or other person.
(b) In the event the person to whom soil conservation payments are due from the United States under the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act ( 16 U.S.C. § 590a et seq.) of the Congress of the United States dies before the payments are made, then the payments shall be made to the surviving spouse of that person for the use of the surviving spouse and minor children, and in the event there are minor children and no surviving spouse (the mother or father of the minor children), then and in that event the payments shall be made to the natural guardian of the minor children; and in the event there is no surviving spouse, or minor children, then the payments shall be made to those entitled under the laws of descent and distribution of the state, unless the deceased leaves a will, in which event they shall be made to those entitled under the will. All such payments shall be free from the claims of any and all creditors, except the United States.
Acts 1976, ch. 538, §§ 9, 10; T.C.A., §§ 31-118, 31-119.