Understand any court imposed deadlines and duties

As you proceed in the administration of the estate, the probate court might give you particular things to do such as appear before the court when you think everything is accomplished and it is time to distribute the assets to the beneficiaries. The court also might let you know about specific duties, such as the duty to act in good faith. It might be easier to understand these responsibilities with the help of the estate attorney. If you ever have questions, it is better to ask than proceed without understanding. As executor, you could incur legal liability for acting inappropriately.

The court also might give you deadlines or benchmarks to meet in your work administering the estate. If, for some reason, you believe you will be unable to meet any court-imposed deadlines, you should not wait until the last minute to notify the court. You should notify the court immediately upon discovery that you cannot accomplish what is asked and also be able to provide information as to why. Again, the estate’s attorney can be helpful in understanding deadlines and navigating the process of accomplishing necessary tasks within the required timeframe.