At Mountain View Mortuary, we want to provide assistance however we can when you’ve just lost a loved one. We know it is a difficult time. With that in mind, we wanted to provide some information about the role of an executor for your reference.
What is an Executor?
An executor is a person appointed to oversee the carrying out of the stipulations of a will. This person is typically chosen prior to a person’s death, so generally it is not a surprise to find out who has been chosen. What might be a surprise, however, is the amount of work that is involved in settling an estate. Being named an executor is an honor, but it also requires time and energy. That is why it is important that an executor understands what his or her role entails.
What To Do Immediately
There are several things that have to be done immediately by an executor. The first task is filing the will with the probate court. The executor must locate and read the will, then determine who inherits the property. In larger estates, the executor typically has the counsel of the decedent’s attorney. But with smaller estates, funeral homes such as Mountain View Mortuary may be able to help with deciphering some of the items in the will, especially where last wishes for services are concerned.
Follow-up Tasks
The executor is also responsible for alerting banks, federal entities and other financial institutions of the decedent’s passing. Banks, where the personal had accounts, credit card companies and the Social Security Administration all must be notified when a person passes away. Once these entities have been notified, a new bank account must be opened to handle the final expenses of the decedent. Money that was in the old accounts is transferred to the new account as well as any life insurance the person might have had and this money is used to pay for things such as funeral expenses, final utility bills, and other outstanding expenses. Depending on the state, the probate court might require an executor to file a detailed listing of the person’s assets. The probate court will alert an executor if this is the case.
These are the most pressing issues an executor must handle just after a person’s death. We here at Mountain View Mortuary understand how it feels to be honored with the task of fulfilling a person’s final wishes. Our staff is ready to help you and your loved ones prepare the service that the deceased wanted. You let us know the plan and we will take care of the details.
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Tags: Executor Information, Mortuary, Mortuary Services