What is an Executor?
An executor is the
person or persons named in a will who have the responsibility for gathering up
the deceased person’s estate and dealing with it in accordance with the terms
of the will. If someone dies without a will, then this function is
performed by an administrator.
If I have been named
as an Executor in a will for some who has died, what do I do?
This is not an exhaustive
list, but you will generally need to apply for a grant of probate, gather up
the assets of the deceased person, pay the estate’s debts and taxes, and
distribute the estate in accordance with the terms of the will.
Do I need a solicitor
if I have been appointed an executor?
In simple estates,
many executors get the grant of probate and deal with the estate
themselves. Some people instruct solicitors to help them with all or part
of the tasks.
Should I appoint a
solicitor as the executor in my Will?
A solicitor does not have to be appointed. If you do appoint a solicitor, they will charge fees which will reduce the size of your estate. However, if you have a complex estate, or your executors do not feel confident about dealing with your estate after you have passed away, you may want to appoint a solicitor as an executor. You can appoint them to be a co-executor with a non-solicitor member of your family for example.
