If you have a Will, you have an executor. You are placing a lot of trust in your executor. After all, this is the person who will be serving in your stead when you pass away—helping your loved ones, overseeing your finances, paying your final bills and distributing your property. Serving as someone’s executor can be a tough job, and choosing the right person for that job can be just as difficult.
Although it is commonly considered an honor, serving as an executor is a lot of work, and often requires a great capacity for organization, attention to detail, meeting deadlines, and more. You may be tempted to name your favorite sibling or eldest child just to keep from hurting any feelings, but your family and heirs will not be well served if you choose your executor based on emotion rather than ability.
Keeping this in mind, here are four qualities to consider when choosing who will serve as your executor:
1. Is the person trustworthy? Your executor will be privy to all of your financial secrets: reviewing estate assets, determining your liabilities and paying off creditors, settling outstanding debts, and making distributions to heirs. Chances are you don’t want all that information spread throughout the family or community.
2. Is this person organized? The person you choose will be in charge of a number of detailed tasks, both large and small. He or she will be making lists of assets, meeting court deadlines, making timely distributions for estate taxes, and more. Missing or being late for one of these many steps can draw out the entire process, costing your heirs both time and money.
3. Is this person financially savvy? One of the responsibilities of executor is to keep the estate viable (making sure the mortgage and fees continue to be paid) during the probate process. If you have investment accounts you’ll want to ensure they won’t languish and lose their value before they can be distributed to your heirs.
4. Is this person compassionate? Although probate can be a difficult and detailed process, it is at its core about the people you love. Your executor should have the ability to be caring and compassionate during this emotional time.
Part of the estate planning attorneys’ job is to help you think through who among your family or friends would be best suited for the job. If you have any questions at all about who to name, make sure to bring it up with your attorney.