Naming an executor is necessary to manage a senior’s affairs once they pass. The executor is appointed by the person creating the will, also known as the testator of the will. It’s advised to ask these nine questions before appointing a family member or friend as an executor. Before we get into these questions, it is important to understand what an executor is and the duties of someone who is in this role.

What is an executor?

Seniors normally prepare a will to ensure their last wishes are carried out. But someone must be appointed to follow the instructions in the will. This individual is known as the executor. The executor has several major responsibilities upon the death of the testator.

What are the executor’s duties?

The primary duty of the executor is to administer the deceased’s estate. When beneficiaries are named in the will, the executor is responsible for ensuring the intended assets are distributed to them. Assets may include financial holdings, real estate, direct investments, or even art.

The executor is also responsible for paying debts, including taxes, and publishing an official notice to creditors. This individual should close accounts and sell any real estate. Seniors appointing an executor may choose a lawyer, accountant, spouse, adult child, relative, or friend to carry out these duties.

What questions should a senior ask before appointing an executor?

Before choosing a friend or relative, it’s important to ask the right questions. Being an executor is no light task. Rather, it is a big job that could come at any time. Seniors should carefully consider who will best get their estate in order and be set up for success.

1. Is the friend or relative trustworthy?

Trust and the ability to behave ethically are major deciding factors in whether a senior wants a particular family member or friend to handle their last wishes. If the beneficiaries are likely to resist working with this individual, the senior is advised to reconsider their choice.

2. How does the individual handle their own finances?

A good gauge for whether a family member or friend will be a good executor is to assess how well they manage their own finances, such as income, expenses, investments, and taxes. A financially responsible person may be ideal to handle the role of executor.

3. Does the individual have the time?

Serving as executor requires ample time, making someone who is busy juggling their own family and career an unlikely candidate. Working 60 hours per week, for example, leaves a potential executor little time to properly execute the testator’s last wishes.

4. Is the potential executor in good health?

Someone struggling with personal health issues may not have the ability to do the job properly. Plus, if the senior lives for another 10 or 20 years, it’s necessary that the appointed individual be in good health to be able to carry out the duty when the time comes.

5. Is the family member or friend local or able to travel?

An estate is settled in the county’s probate court. The executor is required to deliver and sign the paperwork in-person. It helps if the appointed individual is local or can travel. Plus, choosing someone who is local allows them to monitor the deceased’s home while their estate is being settled.

6. Can the person be neutral?

Tensions among beneficiaries often arise, making it crucial that the executor be able to maintain the peace. Choose someone who can remain neutral or who can smooth potential conflicts. Seniors make it easier for everyone involved when they put in the work to best prepare their estate.

7. Can the potential executors work effectively together?

This question is ideal to ask when a senior appoints co-executors. These individuals must be able to work together to carry out the senior’s last wishes. The co-executors should also get along comfortably with heirs—but, at the same time, be able to say “no” to unreasonable requests.

8. Is the appointed individual willing to consult a tax preparer?

Seniors are advised to appoint an individual who is willing to find a tax preparer to file a tax return for the estate. Trust and estate taxes are complex financial matters. Anyone who shows overconfidence by claiming they can handle this task themselves is not a realistic candidate.

9. Does the friend or family member communicate well?

The role of executor may not be well understood by beneficiaries who can grow impatient. An optimal choice for an executor is someone who can provide regular updates to family members and beneficiaries over what can be a lengthy process (a year or more).

Asking the abovementioned questions can help a senior appoint the best person to serve as their executor. It’s also advised to appoint someone who is aligned with the senior’s wishes. Someone opposed to leaving money to a certain heir, for instance, is not the right executor.

Creating a will and appointing an executor are a senior’s responsibilities. Ensuring older adults continue to live a high quality of life is the responsibility of caregivers from Assisting Hands Home Care. We provide exceptional in-home care to aging individuals of all ability levels.

Professional caregivers from our home care agency perform numerous tasks to support seniors as they age in place. We prepare nutritious meals, provide transportation to local destinations (doctors’ offices, senior centers, post office, and more), shop for groceries, give medication reminders, and perform light housekeeping. We’re also pleasant companions.

Seniors enjoy dependable assistance with personal hygiene tasks, such as bathing, dressing, and toileting. Older adults struggling with incontinence receive discreet support from our respectful caregivers. We provide transfer assistance to help seniors get out of a bed, chair, or wheelchair and escort care recipients on outings to promote confidence.

When aging in place is important to your elderly loved one, Assisting Hands Home Care makes it a reality. We are privileged to serve seniors living in BallenIsles, Boynton Beach, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Royal Palm Beach, Singer Island, Wellington, West Palm Beach, FL and the surrounding areas in Palm Beach County. Call us at (561) 566-5989 to learn more about our top-rated in-home services and schedule a free in-home assessment.