Of the various things to consider when making your will one of the most important decisions is deciding who you want to be the executors.
The executors are responsible for dealing with the estate of someone following their death, from registering the death and arranging the funeral, to applying for probate if necessary, sorting out the assets, paying outstanding bills, ensuring the correct taxes are paid if necessary and preparing accounts detailing all the transactions. It is therefore important to choose people who are organized and business-like to make sure that everything is dealt with as it should be, as the executors hold a very responsible role.
You can appoint anyone you want to be an executor, including the people who benefit from the will, as long as they are over 18 years old at the time of your death and/or he or she is not subject to a bankruptcy order. It is sensible to name more than one person, in case one of them dies before you or is unable to act for some other reason, however you cannot have more than four executors dealing with the estate. Most of us would choose our closest family, or a good friend, or you may prefer to appoint professional executors such as your solicitor. It is common to have a combination of professional and non-professional executors. Close family can find it difficult to deal with everything while they are grieving and the help of someone who is not quite so personally involved can make things easier.
If you have any questions Beers’ friendly and helpful team is always willing to help and are happy to hear from you. Simply contact us on 01548 857000 and 01752 246000
