Agreeing to serve as the executor or personal representative of an estate is a major commitment. Executors and personal representatives have to locate and preserve the assets that belonged to the deceased individual. They need to find a will or other estate planning...
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estate administration
What is an executor of an estate?
A will is a crucial legal document that is part of your estate plan. Your will can dictate beneficiaries that would benefit from your estate. To help ensure your assets are managed according to your last wishes, you can name an executor of the estate. An executor is a...
When a caregiver improperly influences a vulnerable person’s will
The probate process can be long and technical. The personal representative of a Tennessee state may have to attend court and send out legal notices to multiple parties, including creditors. There is often a lengthy wait between when someone dies and when it is...
Tips for choosing an estate administrator
Estate administration is an important aspect of estate planning that requires careful consideration when choosing the right person to oversee the process. As you contemplate selecting an estate administrator, remember that this individual will be entrusted with...
What does an estate administrator need to do?
When someone is making an estate plan, they choose someone to be their estate administrator or estate executor. The estate plan does provide guidelines and instructions that need to be followed by family members and beneficiaries. It is the estate administrator who...
What if a beneficiary can’t be located?
Of all the potential problems that may have kept you up at night during the early days of administering someone’s estate, not being able to locate a beneficiary probably wasn’t one of them. But here you are. These days, it seems like you can locate anyone via social...
The difference between an estate executor and an administrator
Making decisions about your estate before you pass away, or how to settle it when someone does, can be a complex process. You may often hear the terms executor or estate administrator. It seems like they could be interchangeable, but there are some differences...
Dealing with a loved one’s home immediately after their death
If you’re the executor of a relative’s or friend’s estate, one of their largest assets (in size and value) may be their home. Whether it’s a small condo or a sprawling house, if it will be empty, you need to take immediate steps to secure it. That may mean changing...
Don’t let a loved one become a fraud victim after they’re gone
It’s hard for most people to fathom, but some people think nothing of profiting off someone’s death by stealing their identity. In fact, some 2.5 million people who die in the U.S. become identity theft victims annually. The problem is so widespread that there’s even...
1 estate administration mistake could cost the executor money
Agreeing to serve as the executor of someone's estate comes with a lot of responsibility. You will have to manage everything from securing the property to hearings in probate court. Not only do you have to settle the decedent's accounts, but you also have to hand out...