Estate Administration can be a very long and difficult process. It is important to choose the right person as the Executor of your Estate. The Executor is the person responsible for administering your estate. There are five main responsibilities of an Executor (1) Filing for Probate; (2) Marshalling Assets; (3) Determining Cash Needs; (4) Paying Reasonable Debts and Expenses and; (5) Distributing the assets in accordance to the decedent’s wishes.
Filing for Probate
The Executor of the decedent’s Estate needs to locate the Original Will as soon as possible after a decedent’s passing. The Original Will is needed in order to probate the Will with the Court. Do not unstaple the original Will. Unstapling the Will can create difficulties in the probate process. An executor cannot act until after the Court has granted the Executor Letters Testamentary. This can take time, therefore it is important to consult with an attorney and file for probate as soon as possible after a decedent passes away.
