YOU KNOW WHAT SUPPORT LOOKS LIKE.
You might not know how to feel about being named as an Estate Trustee. Maybe you’re honoured. Maybe you feel unsure of yourself. Maybe you’d rather just not deal with it all. Your legal coach can help you navigate all those feelings, and help you to decide how best to get the work of being an executor done, too.
You need real support with this and you don’t need to do it alone.
EMPOWER YOURSELF TO BE THE BEST EXECUTOR YOU CAN BE
Your responsibilities as an Estate Trustee can feel overwhelming and complex. Having an experienced legal coach to help you with the work of managing someone’s estate isn’t giving up – it’s a compassionate thing to do for yourself to ease your burden, and a responsible thing to do for the estate entrusted to you.
You need healthy emotional connections and support during difficult times. We can provide you with experience, transparency, accountability and above all a safe, open space to achieve the best outcomes possible. This doesn’t have to be something you avoid. With the right resources, you might even look back on it as a rewarding experience.
HOW DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS WORK?
Strategies, theory, common misconceptions and maybe some hard truths. You need all the knowledge and resources you want as you become an executor for someone’s estate. Explore the ways we think about this work, and equip yourself with ideas and questions you might want to bring to your own approach to the job.
YOU AREN’T SUPPOSED TO KNOW EVERYTHING
It can feel scary to be responsible for something you might not fully understand. The most empowering thing you can do is ask questions about Executor Services, and we believe you deserve the space to do exactly that. Others in your position ask these kinds of questions early on, too, and you might feel more capable of getting started if you have a bit more context before you dive into the work.
Do I need to use the services of the lawyer or law firm that prepared or stored the Will?
No. You have absolute freedom to choose your service provider. Choose someone for executor services who makes you feel comfortable and would be a good fit for you. Just because the lawyer did the Will for the deceased does not mean that lawyer would be a good match for you or provide the service you want.
This work can be hard, and you should prioritize your well-being as well as the needs of the estate when you do this work.
If the estate owes money for bills, do I have to use my own money?
No. As an Executor, you are not expected to go out-of-pocket for any expenses and you shouldn’t feel obligated to. With appropriate documentation, most financial institutions will pay Estate bills or expenses from the deceased’s bank accounts – even if the account is “frozen”.
You may feel like it is more convenient or efficient to pay an expense from your personal funds but you should avoid that if possible. If you do cover any expenses, be sure you keep all records and keep a log. You deserve to be reimbursed at a later point.
What are the first steps I need to take as an Executor?
This is the most logical first question for you to have if you’ve never done the work of an executor before. A blog article like this one can help you feel much more prepared to understand how to get started.
It’s important to give yourself space to ask questions and feel empowered to do what you feel is best. You need to make the job work for you.