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Five things to do after you become the executor of a will

On Behalf of | Jan 12, 2023 | Estate Planning, Probate

When someone close to you passes away it is a challenging time. In addition to the natural feelings that come with the death of a loved one, such as grief and sadness, you may feel overwhelmed by practical issues that you will have to address.

The administrative tasks that you will have to manage after the passing of a loved one start almost immediately. You will be busy arranging for your loved one’s funeral, getting all paperwork in order and making decisions about what to do with any leftover assets or debts, should there be any.

The fact that your loved one left a will is good news because it will help you navigate the process and guide you to follow their stated wishes and plans for how they want things to be after their death.

As the executor, you will have to:

  1. Arrange the funeral and send notifications of your loved one’s passing.
  2. Take inventory of everything that your loved one left behind.
  3. Resolve all debts either by paying them or by requesting loan forgiveness, if applicable.
  4. Resolve any tax issues.
  5. Manage the estate and make all distributions according to the will.

These responsibilities are time-consuming and can have more specificities than this general list depending on your individual situation. These duties can easily overwhelm you and become a full-time job that takes months to resolve.

If you find yourself in a situation where you need assistance during this time, there are legal experts who can help you manage the entire process from start to finish. The most important thing is that you can grieve, that you have the space to process your emotions and that you make choices that support your emotional and physical health.

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