Executor Insights

“What is Probate?” is part of the Executor Duties 101 series, an occasional series by Executor.org that highlights steps in the process of settling an estate. As new executors, many people ask the basic question, “What is probate?” The entire process can be a bit of a mystery to new executors, so we’ve attempted to…

As executor, you will submit the deceased’s “Last Will and Testament” to the probate court. Typically, the will is accepted without challenge and you can check this step of the process off your list of executor duties. But what happens if someone challenges the will, arguing it is not valid because the deceased was not…

What do you do if you are concerned that the executor of a relative’s estate might not be acting in good faith; that she might not be honest in her communication or may be acting unfairly in some way? What can be done to ensure the executor duties are being fulfilled correctly?

This article by Executor.org also appeared in the Huffington Post. When raising children, we often try to shield them from problems and stress. We don’t let them know that the mortgage is two months behind. We don’t share our marital problems with them. And we do what we can to make sure they are happy,…

What you need to know when listing real property as an executor of an estate Check with a reputable Real Estate Agent in your area. Experience is key when selecting an agent for an estate property. You need someone who has been around long enough to help you navigate the transaction and make recommendations for…

When I took on the executor role, I didn’t really know a lot about what the executor duties were.  I thought it would be simple–just follow the will and hand out the assets according to those instructions. But the will did not say where every possession should go and there were the instructions of the…

As an executor, what do you do when you can’t find an item listed as a bequest in a will? What does this mean if you are the beneficiary of the missing item? Let us help answer your questions as you navigate the executor responsibilities.

The probate court process has been around for hundreds of years. While the details vary from generation to generation and location to location, the general principles are the same. In anticipation of eventual death, someone writes a will which governs the distribution of property they own at death. Or, a person dies without a will…

I’ve heard stories of people writing letters before they die which are not to be opened until death.  Sometimes the letters express love and sometimes they give advice from a life well-lived.  Other times they share bad news–like someone is being excluded in a will or that an estate is worth far less than beneficiaries…