An executor can make sure that your wishes are carried out after your death.
There are several factors that should be considered when choosing an executor, but first and foremost, they should be responsible and they should know you well. After all, assets and belongings can be overlooked, even in the best thought-out plans. Should this happen, your executor will be responsible for deciding how to handle these situations so you’ll want someone who will know your intentions and be able to handle any issues that you might have forgotten.
Another thing to consider when choosing your executor is their availability. Perhaps you have three kids and you consider your eldest daughter to be the most responsible. However, your eldest daughter has a very demanding job and lives out of state. Your youngest daughter, on the other hand, lives close to you and is more available. Your youngest daughter may be the better choice to be your executor. Also, if you have a living trust, which allows you to make updates and changes, you can always change your executor if your eldest daughter’s situation changes to accommodate such responsibilities.
As far as special skills go, your executor does not need any specialized knowledge to do the job. They also don’t need to be educated in matters of probate as your estate planning attorney should take care of that for you. All that said, if you’re relying on a Simple Will to distribute your estate, you’ll want to choose an executor that’s known for their patience as the probate process can be quite lengthy.
The responsibilities of an executor include distributing your estate, paying off your creditors, organizing your documents and of course, paying taxes.
Clearly, planning your estate is an important aspect of your overall life plan. Just be sure to choose an executor that will be fair and honor your wishes under any circumstances. It also helps if your executor is good at mediating disputes as it’s not unusual for family members to fight over belongings after a loved one has passed away.
Mark S. Eghrari and Associates PLLC is a leading provider of expert estate planning guidance in Long Island, NY. To learn more about choosing the right executor for you or other estate planning issues, visit our website. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service