4 Key Considerations When Choosing the Executor of Your Will

The executor of a will is the individual who is in charge of paying off your creditors and disbursing your assets after you die. Typically, the executor has the help of an estate planning attorney.  However, they still have a lot of decisions to make and a lot of work to do.

As an estate planning attorney in Raleigh, I help my clients carefully make the decision of who their executor should be and if the executor needs to change over time.

4 key items to consider before choosing the executor of a will are:

  1. Family Dynamics: It is very important to consider the family dynamics before choosing someone. The individual should be able to get along well with all other family members, manage stressful situations well and make sound decisions.
  2. Age: The biggest considerations about changing an executor is typically age. Many young couples name their adult parents as executors. However, this may need to change as the parents age and their health changes. It may also change as new individuals come into the picture as well as when siblings get older.
  3. Time Available: The process of probating a will and administering an estate will take a good amount of time. Even if there are no problems or fights over the estate, the estate administration process in North Carolina can often take between six months and a year.  It should also include meetings with an attorney on a regular basis, too. A good executor will be able to take the time needed to successful complete the estate administration process.
  4. Ethics: It is important to know if the individual is ethical or not. It sounds so simple, but watch how they handle a few tough situations because estate administration can be incredibly stressful. It’s a good way to know how the proposed executor handles himself or herself during a stressful time.

These are just a few considerations that go into choosing the executor of a will. If you are having a hard time making the final decision of who your executor should be, it’s wise to talk to an estate planning attorney. I would be honored to help with this decision for you, just send me an email today!