Executors need to do these 3 things immediately 

On Behalf of | Apr 21, 2022 | Estate Administration & Probate |

If you were given the privilege to act as your deceased one’s executor then you were given a job of high honor. It goes without saying, your job is one full of trust, responsibility and timeliness to act out the deceased’s wishes. 

You could be held personally liable if you fail to uphold the role of executor. You should do the following as soon as possible:

1. Coordinate the funeral arrangements

Funeral arrangements may have already been arranged before the deceased’s death. You may still need to be involved in coordinating the deceased’s funeral, especially if there are bills to be paid.

If the deceased preferred to be cremated then they special requests to have their ashes spread at a location of fond memory. Growing trends have given people the chance of having their ashes buried with a seed and grown into a tree. Executors may need to work with the family if the estate is paying for these.

2. Maintain the deceased’s estate

You need to secure the deceased’s property, including their home. Properties the deceased may have owned may need to have their mortgage payments paid, utilities need to be managed and the fridge needs to be cleaned out.

The deceased may have owned pets or plants that need to be relocated and cared for by someone else for a period of time. The deceased’s personal possessions may need to be stored away until the recipients are known.

3. Contact the state’s vital record office

The state’s vital record office will hold the deceased death certificate. You will need multiple copies to claim any death benefits, secure the estate and contact any interested parties.

There is a lot that can happen all at once for an executor. If you are in any way unsure about what steps you need to take to handle your loved one’s estate and get through probate then you may need to contact experienced help.