To ensure your wishes are carried out after your death, you must choose an executor for your estate.

In addition to being responsible, the executor of your estate should know you very well. As much as you have planned and written down, there is always the chance that you may leave something out. In the case that this happens, the executor will be faced with deciding how to deal with those things you may have overlooked. You want to make sure that the person you designate as your executor will follow as closely as possible what you would want in those uncertain situations.

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 an executor or other estate planning issues, visit our website.

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