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Can your executor rise to the task?

On Behalf of | Jul 3, 2022 | Estate Planning |

When it comes to estate management, your executor will hold crucial power. They will essentially manage all of your affairs after your death. Thus, you want to pick someone you can rely on.

Of course, this means you have to rely on them for more than just being a good person who will carry out your wishes. Successful executors usually have quite an array of skills.

First steps an executor takes

Forbes talks about the duties that an estate executor holds. First, they often manage your actual funeral and how you want your body handled after your death. They will also manage your physical estate, such as canceling any unnecessary services like your internet while keeping needed services like your electricity.

They will interact with your professional and legal team, figuring out issues like your final taxes and how to repay and debts owed. They must go through the entire probate process in some cases, which can take years.

Once all debts get settled, they then have to hand your divided estate out to your likely still grieving beneficiaries.

A necessary skillset

In other words, they need the social skills to navigate dealing with grieving people while also in grief. They need organizational skills and good time management capabilities because many legal matters have set deadlines that will not budge for any reason.

They need to have strong leadership skills and the ability to self-manage without outside influence because they will be the one at the helm. It is a lot of responsibility, so they should have a strong sense of that, as well. The best executors have all of these traits along with being trustworthy.